The Unlikely Pair
by Amaterasu1969
Summary: Whould've thought that Naraku would revive the Four War Gods of Horai Island? Whould've thought that Inuyasha's other half-sister was involved? Whould've thought that a strange human girl would capture the interest of a certain demon lord?
1. The Storm

**A1969: yo! A1969 here with, of course, another story. But, this time, it isn't just mine. This story if co-written by Maiden of the Heavens, too! ;)**

**So, direct to the point, Inuyasha and all related characters, logos, etcetera, etcetera, are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. The OC Murasaki is mine and Nicada-Yamie belongs to Maiden of the Heavens. **

_**Summary:**_

_**Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's half-sister Nicada's palace has been attacked by unknown enemies from the past thought dead. Now, Nicada and a strange human girl must journey to the west in order to find Sesshoumaru and find out who is responsible for everything. InuKag, MirSan, (?) SessOC, Nicada(?)**_

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**Chapter One:**

**:-The Storm-:**

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**-Nicada-**

Screaming.

I could hear nothing but screaming.

And the sound of rain falling as the night wore on…

And the cries of women and children and the crackle of flame that leapt into the blazing sky, throwing sparks of light into the heavens. I could hear nothing but the shouts of my soldiers as they tried to defend the blazing castle, the clash of sword against sword as the guards battled in vain…

I myself was drenched in sweat; a shallow cut on my forehead bled, the scent of my own blood permeating the air. The bruises on my body throbbed incessantly against me, hampering my ability to fight.

I was tired.

I wanted to stop.

But I knew I mustn't.

To stop now would mean certain death.

"Princess!"

I glanced up at the person who had called my name. One of my faithful guards was running towards me, multiple cuts all over his body, his black hair tousled from the fight.

"Kobai!" I gasped as I slashed through the demon that blocked my path.

"You must escape!" he gasped as he collapsed in front of me.

I rushed to his side. "No!" I protested. "I am the lady of my people. I am their lady and I die with them!"

"N-no," he stammered. I gasped. There was a large gash on his chest that ran all the way to his stomach. "You…you must escape." He cringed. "You…mustn't die. You must survive. If…you survive…so…does…the clan!" He gasped then his eyes rolled in their sockets and he was dead.

I closed my eyes. Too many lives had already been lost…

I glanced around me. Demons were everywhere; they ravaged the castle and destroyed the life I had built for myself and for my people…

I heard a roar behind me. I spun around to find myself face to face with a dragon demon. Though it was not powerful, I could not defeat it for I was too weak…

"Tell me," I snarled, pointing my sword at it. "Who is responsible for this attack?"

The demon laughed. "You are in no position to make demands, princess," it said in a cavernous voice. It opened its jaws and a glowing white light came from its mouth, illuminating the darkened palace grounds. And then, in that white light, an image of a man filled my mind. His silver hair blew around his face, around his cold golden eyes, covering the Prussian blue crescent moon on his forehead…

I had to see him again.

"I will not be defeated!"

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**-Murasaki-**

I was sure I was dreaming.

For one thing, my mother and father were fighting, something which they never did before, for another, I could hear what they were fighting about, despite the fact that I was asleep in my chamber. It would seem that the door to their chamber was ajar for their quarters were right across from my room in the hall.

"You cannot be serious, my lord!" my mother was saying.

It was dark in the castle, quiet. There was no other sound except for mother and father's voices.

"I must do what I must do," father answered. It seems that they were trying, without success, to keep their voices low. I strained to hear more, turning on my futon so I faced the door.

"No! There are other ways to win this war," mother hissed.

"I see no other way," father snapped. "Let us face the facts, Aoi, the enemy has gained the upper hand. If I do not do this, Subarashii castle will fall."

"She is your daughter!" mother cried, no longer trying to be quiet.

My blood froze.

Seeing as father had mostly sons…they were talking about _me._

"She is no daughter of mine!" I did not know what to feel then…perhaps…I felt…bewildered. This was…a hurtful dream.

"She is _my _daughter," mother challenged.

"You know she has been marked down since she was born!" father half-shouted. "She was chosen…no, _made_ for this and you are aware of it."

"No!" mother cried out. "You cannot allow this! I cannot believe you would listen to your foolish advisers! They want nothing more than power and—"

"And you want nothing more than a daughter!" father snarled. I could almost picture his face—eyes narrowed, teeth bared.

Mother was silent. "There is another way, my lord," she said softly. "I am sure of it."

"There is no other way," father said. "Listen to me, Aoi, if we do this, not only will our enemies be defeated, we will have the power to bring even the demon lords to their knees!"

"At the price of her life?!"

I no longer wished to listen and I presently found myself drifting into the darkness of sleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Murasaki." The voice was gentle and low, calling me back from the world of dreams.

"Murasaki." I felt a hand on my shoulder accompanied by the rustling of silk as the silken sleeve of the hand's owner brushed against my cheek.

"Murasaki." The voice was persistent now, almost urgent.

My eyes flew open. I looked up and saw the face of my mother looking down at me with worry in her eyes.

"M…mother?" I yawned. My mother was usually a most beauteous lady with an oval face, hair as dark as night and skin as pale as a cloud. But tonight, by the light of the low burning brazier, I could see that her face was distorted with worry.

"I had a strange dream about you and father," I said, sitting up. "I dreamt you were arguing about me."

Something flickered in her brown eyes. "A dream," she murmured quietly. She was silent for a moment, thinking. "A foolish dream. Murasaki, listen to me."

The tone in her voice made me alert. "Mother…is something wrong?"

"Murasaki…you must leave." Her eyes were hard and her tone was urgent.

"Leave?" I asked, puzzled. "Why?"

"Do not ask any more questions," she said. "You must leave. Now. Get out of bed." She pulled me by the arm until I was standing. I pulled my arm away from her.

"Mother…what is wrong? Why are you asking me to me to leave?" I asked.

She was silent, refusing to answer my question. But my intuition clicked. "It wasn't a dream…was it?" I asked her.

"No," she said. "You must leave, Murasaki, before morning."

It wasn't a dream…but it didn't feel real. "Why…what is happening, mother? Your conversation with father…"

"It is not important now," she said. She went over to a rack where my kimono rested and brought the robe to me together with my obi. She handed them to me; she then reached into the sash of her kimono and drew out a bag of gold coins. She thrust it into my arms as well. "Now go," she said. "Go to the stables and go."

"Mother…what is going on?"

She was silent for a moment, and then she stared at the door, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Wait here." She left the room, sliding the door softly behind her. Although the questions formed in my mind, I ignored them and changed into the dark blue kimono. Despite the fact that the obi was long and very hard to tie, I managed it, though it was clumsily done. I was tying my hair into a ponytail when mother came in, a box in her hands.

"Here," she said, handing me the box. "Take it. Oh, my Murasaki, I should have told you sooner, instead I have kept my silence."

"Tell me what, mother?" I asked. "What is going on?"

She sighed. "The truth," she muttered. "I should have told you the truth."

"About what?"

She stared into my eyes for a second. "When you have left the castle grounds," she said quietly. "Go to mount Ozura in the West. There is a shrine there. Seek out a priest named Hotori and he will tell you all. Now, go!"

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**-Kagome-**

The day was rainy.

I held my umbrella above me so it wouldn't hit Shippou, who was perched on my shoulder. I stared around me, at the falling rain. Ahead of me, their outlines softened by the falling rain, were Miroku and Sango, both sharing a blue umbrella.

"Inuyasha," I called. "You'll catch a cold if you walk in the rain."

Inuyasha, who was too stubborn to share an umbrella, snorted. "Keh!" he said, using his favorite expression. "A little rain's no big deal."

"It'll be a big deal if you catch a cold," I warned.

"My body's special, ya hear?" he said, glaring at me from over his shoulder. "I'm not like you humans, needing shelter from a little thing like rain."

"I hope it rains on the night of the new moon," I said, rolling my eyes. "Really, Inuyasha, just because you're a half-demon, doesn't mean you're better than us."

"So true," Miroku agreed, looking at Inuyasha.

"Everyone knows demons are superior to humans," Inuyasha said.

"Hm…" I said, a mock-thoughtful look on my face. "Inuyasha, we already know that _demons _like _Sesshoumaru_ and _Kouga_ are superior to those with human blood."

"How true, Kagome," Sango said, catching on. "They're faster, stronger…"

"Better looking," I added, smirking as soon as Inuyasha stopped in his tracks, the rain falling off him.

"What…was that?" he demanded. By now, all of us had stopped to look at Inuyasha, who was glaring at me. "You mean to say…you think…that…that _Sesshoumaru _and _Kouga _are…_good-looking_?"

"Of course," I said, shrugging. "After all, aren't they _demons_?"

He growled. "Fine, fine," he muttered. "I take back what I said earlier."

I smiled sweetly at him. "Good. Now get under here before you catch a cold!" He willingly obliged and stood next to me. I raised the umbrella higher.

"Hey…Kagome…" he suddenly said, as we continued walking on.

"Hm?"

"You don't…really think that Sesshoumaru and Kouga are good-looking, do you?" he asked with hesitance in his voice.

I nearly stopped in my tracks. "Geez, Inuyasha," Shippou said, sighing. "To be frank, they're actually better looking than you."

Inuyasha glared at him.

"Well, Inuyasha, truth be told, I do think they're good-looking," I said, shrugging. "But, in my opinion, you're much better-looking than they are." I grinned at him.

"Keh!" He looked up at the sky, his nose in the air. I could tell from the way his jaw was set that he was pleased with my answer. A moment later, he stopped in his tracks, his eyes darting to the path up ahead. I inadvertently walked ahead of him, leaving him in the rain.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" I asked.

"There's something coming towards us," he answered.

Miroku looked at where Inuyasha was gazing. "Huh?" he said. "I don't sense any demonic aura, do you, Kagome?"

I shook my ahead. "No," I replied. The area was clean and pure.

We looked ahead. A second later, there came the shouts of men and then a white horse appeared on the path ahead. On the horse rode a figure wearing a black cloak, the hood down, the cowl covering the wearer's face. The rider was egging the horse faster in order to outrun the men chasing it. The men were bandits; their swords were raised in the air as they shouted at the rider of the horse.

"Get back here!" they shouted in unison.

"And hand over the goods!" another added.

One of the bandits held up a bow and an arrow and pointed it at the rider. I gasped as the bandit took aim. "Inuyasha!" I cried out. But before anyone could react, the bandit released the bowstring. The arrow sped towards the rider, but luckily, the arrow was badly aimed. It missed the rider and struck the horse in its flank.

The horse neighed and reared on its hind legs as the blood gushed from its side, flowing to the ground like the rain. For a moment, we watched as the rider struggled with his horse but then he slipped and fell to the ground, unconscious. The horse too fell to the ground, the blood gushing from its side, its legs twitching

"Inuyasha!" I cried out again as the bandits neared the unfortunate rider.

"I'm on it!" he replied as he dashed off, a red streak amidst the falling rain. We hurried to catch up to him.

"Hey you bastards!" Inuyasha shouted at the bandits who were nearing the unconscious rider. The bandits looked at him.

"Attack!" one of them, probably their leader, cried out.

Immediately all the bandits ran towards Inuyasha and I gasped as they narrowly avoided trampling the unconscious rider.

Inuyasha's bare fist made contact with one of the bandits' stomach, sending him flying through the air. "Kill him!" they shouted, almost in unison.

"Lemme see you try!" Inuyasha snarled as he pulled out his Tessaiga. The bandits stopped for a second, but then they rushed on. "Idiots!" Inuyasha shouted. Using his Tessaiga, he struck the ground in front of the vagabonds, narrowly missing them by a hair's breadth, and sending chunks of rock flying into the air.

"Gah!" Inuyasha's last move did it. The bandits turned on their tail and ran off, screaming obscenities about Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, are you okay?" I asked as we approached him. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine, Kagome," he said.

"But I don't think this one is." We looked to where Sango was. She was kneeling in front of the fallen rider, her umbrella held over the poor soul's limp form. Miroku was standing aside, next to the dead horse, the rain falling on him.

"Is he alright?" I asked as I made my way towards her.

Sango carefully pulled back the hood as I knelt beside her, feeling the mud on my knees. "Oh!" she said. "He is a she." We looked at her. She looked no older than fifteen. She was pale, her lips lightly tinged with blue from the cold. She was petite, even under the cloak. Her raven hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her eyes showed just how long and thick her eyelashes were. Her face was streaked with dirt as was the black cloak she wore. She looked delicate, but there was something about her that also suggested strength.

"Poor girl," Sango mused. She looked down at the girl's sleeve. "No wonder they were after her," she went on as she pulled a drawstring bag that stuck out from the girl's sleeve. She held it for me to see. It made a tinkling sound. She carefully opened the bag and her eyebrows shot up in astonishment. The bag was filled with gold coins.

"She was carrying a large sum of money with her," Sango said, closing the bag.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Inuaysha said. "We saved her life, now let's go."

"What?" I said, incredulous. "We can't just leave her here, Inuyasha."

"It's none of our business, now let's go!" he said. "We have Naraku and the Sacred Jewel to worry about." I understood why he was worrying. There were only three shards left—the ones with Kohaku and Kouga. A few weeks earlier, we received word that Kohaku had escaped from Naraku and was hiding somewhere, much to Sango's dismay. Inuyasha had also tried coaxing Kouga into handing over his Sacred Jewel shards but to no avail. Though I understood why Inuyasha was worrying, it was no reason to abandon the poor girl.

"We have to help her, Inuyasha," I said. "And besides, we have to find shelter too. The rain's getting worse."

"She has a point," Sango agreed. She carefully eased the girl's arms around her shoulders and lifted her off the ground, the girl now slung on her back. We couldn't very well entrust her to Miroku, who might try something, or to Inuyasha, who looked annoyed.

Inuyasha growled. "Fine," he muttered. "But when the rain stops, we're looking for Naraku, got it?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Are you sure this is such a good idea, Miroku?" I asked him as Sango eased the unconscious girl close to the fire to warm up. I glanced around the empty hut. "The owners might be coming back, you know."

"Look around you, Kagome," Miroku said as he sat across the fire, right next to the girl. "This place hasn't been used in quite a while."

I glanced around the hut. There were cobwebs on the ceiling and dust on the shelves. Outside, the rain increased in strength and the wind howled. "I think there's going to be a storm," I muttered, hearing the howl of the wind.

Sango nodded as she sat next to Miroku. "Looks like it." Kirara mewed on her shoulder, not liking the prospect of a storm and Shippou snuggled closer to me.

I sighed as I sat down across from Miroku and Sango, clutching Shippou closer to me. I looked at the girl. In the firelight, her pale skin seemed flushed and the blue tinge in her lips was gone, thanks to the warmth.

"I wonder who she is," I mused as I stared at her.

"We'll find out when she wakes up," Miroku said.

At that moment, the screen of the hut rustled and Inuyasha came in, dripping wet from the rain. "Inuyasha, where've you been?" I asked as he stared drying himself off like a dog, shaking his body and sending flecks of water everywhere. "Hey!" I cried out as the fire hissed from the water. "Watch it, Inuyasha!"

He ignored that and sat down next to me. "Anyway, where've you been?" I asked.

"Just scouting the area," he answered. "Making sure there're no demons out there. With this weather, it'll be hard to know if there're any troublemakers out there. Besides…"

"Besides what?"

He shook his head. "Nothing." But Miroku was narrowing his eyes slightly at Inuyasha.

"Oh!" Sango suddenly exclaimed. "She's waking up!" She was huddled over the unconscious girl, whose eyelids were flickering.

I made my way next to Sango and knelt beside her. Soon enough the girl's eyes flickered open and I blinked in surprise. Her eyes were a stunning shade of lavender, something I've never seen before.

"Are you alright?" Sango asked, not at all perturbed by the girl's strange eyes.

The girl looked from me to Sango, her eyes growing wide. She immediately sat up and looked around, worried. "It's okay," I reassured. "There's nothing here to harm you."

Her eyes landed on Inuyasha and she looked doubtful. She backed away slowly. Boy, she sure was timid!

"B…bandits," she muttered, looking around again.

"They're gone," I said. I looked at Inuyasha then back at her. "He rescued you from them."

She looked at Inuyasha for a moment. "Thank you."

"Keh," he said.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Anyway, he's Inuyasha. My name is Kagome. This is Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kirara."

She hesitated for a moment. "My name is Murasaki," she said at last, still hesitant. I nodded. Her name went well with those eyes of hers. She wrapped her damp cloak tighter around her and her eyes widened, no doubt noticing how light her sleeves were.

"Oh," Sango said, pulling out the drawstring bag from her sleeve and handing it to Murasaki. "Here. It fell out earlier."

Murasaki took it, still hesitant, as though expecting us to attack. "Thank you," she said at last.

I smiled at her. "Tell us, Murasaki, why were you out on your own?"

"Obviously, a well-born lady such as yourself would have been escorted by guards," Miroku suddenly said, his eyes fixed on her.

Well-born lady?

Miroku must have read the puzzlement in both Sango's and my eyes, because he suddenly spoke up. "It's quite obvious that she's a well-born lady," he said, sighing as though he were trying to explain things to simpletons. "After all, look at the way she sits and I assure you that only ladies with influential families have such smooth hands."

Murasaki flushed and remained quiet. "And you know this because…?" Sango's voice trailed off suggestively. Of course, Miroku was such a womanizer that I was certain his conquests included empresses themselves.

Miroku shrugged.

"Yes, he's right," Murasaki said, sighing. "I am the daughter of the lord of Subarashii castle but I…ran away."

I raised my eyebrows at her. "Why?" I asked.

She hesitated. "I just…did." Something told me I shouldn't pry so, instead, I nodded. "Has anyone seen my stallion?" she asked. "I must leave."

"Your…horse…died," Sango said hesitantly.

Murasaki was silent. "I see," she said, nodding slowly. "Then, might I borrow one of your horses? I'm in a hurry."

"We don't have any horses," Inuyasha said, folding his arms as though the thought of us riding horses was offensive to him.

"Besides—" I said. I didn't finish. At that exact moment, there was a flash of lightning in the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder.

Shippou screamed and launched himself from my arms and onto Inuyasha's head, holding on to his ears for dear life. Inuyasha cried out in surprise and tried to pry Shippou off, to no avail. Kirara hissed while Miroku and Sango both looked worried. Murasaki let out a gasp and backed against a wall, fear written all over her face.

"—it's best if you stay with us here for a while," I finished. "We think a storm is coming up outside."

Her eyes widened in shock. "No," she protested. "I must get to Mount Ozura soon."

"Mount Ozura?" Miroku said. "Isn't that in the West?"

Murasaki nodded. "Yes. As you know, it is very far away, and I must get there as soon as possible."

"You should let this storm abate first, though," I said, looking out the wooden bars of the hut's window. Murasaki bit her lower lip, a worried look in her eyes as she followed my gaze to the window. She was silent for a moment, her eyebrows meeting in the middle.

"Alright then," she said at last, sighing. "Thank you for your offer."

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**-Nicada-**

I ran.

Through the falling torrent of rain, I ran.

Behind me, I could hear the hordes of demons giving chase.

"Damn," I muttered. My strength was wavering, my body weakening, and my speed slowing. Was there no end to the chase? The night rain fell on me, impairing my vision, making me shiver with the cold. I suddenly felt something slimy wind around my ankle making me trip. I fell to the ground, but I wasted no time in severing the appendage that anchored me to the ground. I stood up and ran once again.

With growing horror, I realized that it wasn't merely these demons that were chasing me. Exhaustion was getting closer and closer as well…

The cuts on my body throbbed unpleasantly. I could feel blood gushing from the wound on my arm which throbbed unpleasantly as each drop of rain made contact with it.

I wanted to give up then and there.

My speed slowed.

An image suddenly filled my mind with the same brilliance as a sunrise. I could see him in my mind again. His cold golden eyes were narrowed at me, as though questioning whether or not I would give up, his silver hair fell around his face and his bangs swayed against the crescent moon on his forehead as he slowly turned his face away from my weakness.

No.

I was not weak.

I would prove it to him.

I increased my speed and ran, letting the raindrops fall on me…

The storm increased in intensity and lightning flashed in the sky and, inadvertently, as I ran, the memory of _that night_ returned to me…

_:: __Washing Away Innocence__ ::  
-A trip down memory lane-_

'There was a storm on that day as well…'

_Thunder roared from the clouds above, and lightning flashed across the sky, our only light. I clung to the fabric of Mama's sky-blue gi tighter. She had been running for so long. Soaked with rain, cuts and scrapes marked her face and arms. Protecting me, always protecting me. _

"_Mama put me down! I can run on my own!" I begged, but she shook her head and just kept running. She wasn't going to let him have me. _

"_If I let you go, he'll take you away," she said, sadness in her voice. _

_Ryura. She was talking about Ryura. A really scary demon with red eyes and hair the color of the sky that was always pulled back in braid. He scared me and he made Mama so angry. He wanted to take to me to the cauldron. A sacrifice. I would become a firefly, just like all the others._

_I shook my head and cuddled my face into Mama's shoulder. It was best not to think about becoming a firefly when you're running for your life. No matter how pretty they were. _

_Before I knew it, I was flying through the air and landing in the mud several feet from Mama. Her foot had gotten caught under a tree root and she forced herself back on her feet. She was in pain; it was clear in her violet eyes. _

_He was coming. The sound of his boots against the ground and the swoosh of his swords as they spun in the air. He kept calling for Mama. His voice sounded angry and irritated. _

_Mama turned back to look at me, her long black hair bellowing in the storm's wind. She gripped her longbow in her hand. She wasn't going to run anymore. _

"_When I tell you, I want you to run as fast you can," she said sternly. _

"_What about you?" I asked, and she shook her head and drew an arrow from her battered quiver. Her last arrow. _

"_Don't worry about me," she answered and tears brimmed at the edge of her eyes. _

_The arrow swooned with Mama's holy power, glowing a flaming orange. Silver lightning-bolt marks appeared at edge of her eyes and ran a little bit down her cheeks. A ghostly image of angel wings formed at her back. _

_I heaved myself back to my feet and watched as Ryura stepped in front Mama. An evil grin on his face and one sword pressed against the flesh of her neck. _

"_Ame-Kohana, if you would just give me your daughter, we wouldn't have to play this game of cat-and-mouse."_

"_Never," mama snarled and that only made Ryura angrier. But she ignored him for a spilt-second and turned to me once more._

"_Run." _

_I ran as fast as I could, not even realizing the warm tears that were slipping past my eyes. I cringed as I heard Ryura cry out in rage as I escaped, calling my mother a foolish half-breed. _

_I ran until I had to slow down to a speed. I felt myself stumble. Reaching the porch of the hut mother and I called home, I lumbered inside. I had to find something to use as a weapon to help Mama._

_The hut was small, barely enough room for two futons and the fire pit in the middle. Mama's herb baskets had been wedged into a corner, along with her sutra and arrow making supplies. I couldn't use those to help her. And it would take too long for me to make my own arrow._

_My eyes scanned up the wall, which gleamed from the dying embers of the fire. A smile stretched across my face. The sword. I pushed a stool as close to the sword's hilt as possible and scrambled up onto the stool, getting on the very tip of my toes. I gripped the sword's twin lightning-bolt shaped hilt, and I pulled as hard as I could and the sword finally slipped loose from its mantle. The stool began to teeter from the combined weight and I crashed to the floor along with the stool. I quickly got to my feet and began to drag the sword out the door, pulling it with both hands; it was so heavy I could not lift it. I had to help Mama somehow._

_Lugging the sword down the porch steps, I began to make my way across the beach and back to the path that would lead me to Mama and the nasty demon, who dared to call himself a War God. I stopped in my tracks, nearly dropping the sword as I saw who was standing before me. _

_He stood in front of me, his long silver hair blowing in the wind and he was soaked from the storm. His golden eyes held what looked like pity, but I could never be sure with him, he was like a stone. No emotions. He looked down at me, his face blank._

"_Yamie, what are you doing?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. _

"_I'm going to help Mama," I answered and proceeded to go around him, very slowly, since I was still dragging the sword along with me. He stepped in front of me and I growled in frustration. "Big brother, I have to go help Mama!"_

"_It is too late for that now," he said and crouched down in front of me, taking the sword as it slipped from my grasp. _

"_What do you mean?" I choked out as tears blurred my vision. _

"_She is dead, Yamie," he answered and walked into mine and Mama's home, tucking the sword into his sash._

"_Liar!" I cried out and ran after him and he glanced at me._

"_I would not lie about such a thing," he said and grabbed my cloak from where it hung on the wall and handed it to me. "Put this on."_

_I looked at the ragged grey cloak and tied it on, pulling the hood snug over my head. I let my tears fall and heard them splatter to the wooden floor. Sniffling, I wiped them roughly with my gi sleeve. I could feel big brother glaring at me. _

"_Do not cry, Yamie." His voice was stern. I sniffed a couple more times and finally stopped. _

"_Did Ryura kill her?" I asked and walked over to my futon. I grabbed Popo from my bed, and slipped him into my red obi; the yellow stuffed animal rabbit sagged a little, as if he was sad too. _

_Big brother nodded in response and continued to pack what little belongings I had into a rucksack. "How old did you turn yesterday?" he asked and that's when I realized he had not visited on my birthday. He always visited me on my birthday, normally bringing presents that he said Papa would want me to have. But not this year._

"_Eight," I said and bounded down the porch steps. Big brother followed after me, he stood at the edge of the shoreline, letting the ocean's waves sweep over his black boots. _

_I stared at the hut that wasn't going be my home anymore. Even if I wanted to stay, he would not let me. He would drag me back to the West Palace kicking and screaming. I let my long black claws become consumed in red and orange flames. He looked back to watch and see what I was going to do, pretending not to be the least bit interested. _

_I leapt into the air a little and let the flames spread from my claws toward the hut and consume it in its heat. It lit like kindle and quickly began turning to ash, smoke rising into the sky, the roof creaking in protest as it collapsed inward, and the whole hut began to crumble. Sparks lit the darkened stormy clouds like dancing fireflies. Thanks to Mama I would not become a firefly like the others. I clenched my fists, and began to sob. Curse Ryura and the other so-called War Gods, they would pay for what they did to Mama! But not now. Someday they would get what they deserved. _

_Big brother's white-clawed fingers suddenly pinched one of my doggy-ears and he tugged. Hard. "Ow! Sesshoumaru that hurt!" I growled and went to swipe at him, but he had already picked me up. _

"_Cease your whimpering, Yamie. It is pathetic." He said in response as I rubbed my sore ear. _

"_That really hurt. You're so mean!" I retorted and stuck my tongue out at him._

"_You are acting like a child, little sister." Annoyance was clear in his voice. _

"_I am a child." I grumbled as he took to darkened skies, the rain falling hard on both of us. I sighed as I contemplated our destination…_

_The West Palace was to be my new home…_

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

I banished the memories from my mind.

The demons were gaining on me…This was hopeless…I should just give up…

"_Do not cry, Yamie."_

My eyes widened. Big brother's voice reverberated through my mind. It was as though that memory played through my mind to make me run…

It worked. Big brother's voice gave me the courage I needed to run.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Murasaki-**

They were a queer lot.

For one thing, the kind brown-eyed girl Kagome wore such a strange kimono that didn't cover the parts of her body that needed to be covered, which would be scandalous at court; for another, the supposed monk Miroku groped the other girl called Sango, earning him a good smack across the face and, lastly, the strange demon with dog-ears named Inuyasha kept grumbling.

"Here, Inuyasha," Kagome said, offering a bowl of steaming noodles to the demon. "You've been soaked in the rain."

"Alright, ninja food!" the demon yelled, taking the bowl from her with eagerness. I blinked. Okay…he _was _grumbling a while ago.

"Oh, I almost forgot," she said, pulling out another bowl from her backpack. I watched, fascinated, as she peeled back the lid and poured hot water from a container into the bowl. A moment later, a spicy aroma filled the room, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since last night.

"Here." To my surprise, she handed it to me with a smile. "No need to be shy," she added, still smiling. "It probably be won't be as good as any of the food you've eaten in your castle, but hey, we make do with what we have."

I hesitantly took the bowl from her. It wasn't made of china and it wasn't wooden…

Queer.

She handed me a pair of chopsticks. I carefully twirled the noodles around my chopsticks and ate. My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Actually," I said to Kagome. "This is better than anything I've ever tasted before."

She smiled. "That's Kagome," the cute little fox, Shippou, said, "always bringing something good to share." So saying, he drank the spicy soup from his own bowl.

"Excellent choice, Kagome," Miroku said, eating his noodles. "It's quite appropriate for the cold weather."

Kagome thanked him and began eating her own noodles. "That's not all," she said when she had finished. She rummaged around in a strange yellow sack and brought strange white packets of…something. "Look what else I've brought, hot chocolate."

I tilted my head at her. "Chocolate?" I asked, curious. This girl seemed so different, so strange. The way she acted and the things she fished out of that yellow sack of hers seemed foreign, but she looked just like any other Japanese girl I've seen…except for her clothing and the fact that she was perpetually smiling.

The others and I watched as she tore the packet open and emptied a brown powder into a mug. She filled it with hot water and the scent of this…'chocolate' filled the room.

"Here, Murasaki," she said, handing it to me. "Try it."

I blushed as I took the mug from her. "Thank you for being so kind," I said, taking a sip. "What a queer taste!" I exclaimed, forgetting myself. This 'chocolate' was sweet, but not excessively so. Truth be told, I couldn't describe the taste.

Kagome giggled. "I love it when people from your era try something from my era," she said to her friend, Sango, who also giggled. "It's just so…refreshing to watch!"

"Era?" I asked, curious.

"Oh!" Kagome said, her eyes widening slightly. "I meant…country."

"So you _are _foreign," I said, though it sounded like a question rather than a statement.

She nodded, grinning. "I was brought up in…China," she said.

"And you are here, because?" I asked.

She was silent. "Well…like you, I ran away." She—there was no other word for it—_tried_ to look sad. Maybe she didn't look sad enough because she was happy to have run away. I, on the other hand, was still devastated at my current situation.

I sighed. "Oh," I said.

"_Strong my yearning for what I have left behind_

_I envy the waves that go back whence they came."_

Sango tilted her head. "Poetry?" she asked. "From the _Tales of Ise_?"

I nodded. "Father often said that a young lady should be well taught in the classics," I said, sighing. "But, unfortunately for me, the classics were boring." Then, maybe because I was still hurt and mad about Father, I added, "As is the Koto, the lute and the flute."

Sango gave me a small smile, and then she turned to Kagome who was looking at me with puzzlement in her eyes. "Well-born ladies always have to learn the classics, Kagome," she explained.

She nodded to show that she understood. Sango then turned back to me. "So I take it that you want to go home?" she asked me. I nodded. "You must miss your family very much."

"Yes."

"_The sorrow of parting bring such floods of tears_

_That the waters of this river must surely rise."_

"If I could, I would return home," I finished.

"But…didn't you run away?" Kagome said. "Surely, you can go home any time soon?"

I bit my lip. How careless of me! "It seems," I said slowly, omitting out certain points, "that my Father does not want me."

They nodded their heads in sympathy. "How sad, don't you think so, Miroku?" Sango turned to the monk. "Miroku, what's wrong?"

I followed her gaze. The monk was looking at the wall of the hut, his eyes narrowed dangerously. But he wasn't the only one. The demon Inuyasha was also looking at the wall, his ears twitching, his eyes narrowed.

"What's going on, you two?" Kagome asked, concerned now.

"Don't you sense it, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. "Demons."

My blood froze.

I have never seen a demon, but I hear that they are quite deadly, with poison coming out of their mouths, fangs and claws for teeth and fingernails and…and…

I shuddered.

But then, I told myself, the demons in this hut didn't look hideous in any way…

"C'mon, Miroku!" Inuyasha said, standing up and dashing to the door.

"Right!" Miroku quickly followed Inuyasha out the door. "Sango, Kagome, it's best if you two stay in here! The weather's gotten worse and there are many demons. Let us handle it. Stay here and look after Murasaki."

"Got it," Sango said. She watched as Miroku dashed out of the hut.

It was suddenly silent.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Nicada-**

"Leave me alone!"

Despite the fact that the image in my head gave me the will to run, it did not give my body the strength it needed. I felt my limbs wail from the sheer exhaustion. My lungs ached with the effort of so much running, despite what little demon blood I had. The rain fell down in torrents, sending waves of cold throughout my body.

Now, this time, I wished to stop this futile running.

Behind me, I could hear the growls and shrieks of the demons that pursued. Was it my imagination, or could I actually feel their hot breath on my body?

In the distance, I could see a strange shape amidst the falling of the rain and howl of the wind. A strange shape…

It looked like a hut…

I knew it was foolish thinking, but could I find any help in there?

I sped on.

"Inuyasha, up ahead!" I heard a voice suddenly shout.

There were exchanged words of warning, the sound of a sword being drawn…

"Wait, Inuyasha, no!" I quickly ran to the voices. The storm peaked and blew gusts of wind at me and sent torrents of rain against my skin. "You'll hit—!"

"I'm no fool, Miroku!" The voice was rough…unfamiliar.

I suddenly felt—with foreboding—a rise in demonic aura…

"Wind Scar!"

Amidst the darkness and the rain and the howl of the wind, I saw a light headed towards me, a light that radiated with pure power, power that made the hairs on my arms stand on end.

I was going to die.

But I was wrong. The light swerved a little to my side and hit the demons behind me. I could hear the shouts of the demons as the attack obliterated them.

My knees trembled. The danger was over. I didn't have to run anymore…

This realization made my body fall to the ground in exhaustion. I felt my face hit the mud, felt the rain pelt down on my back.

"Do you think she's alright?" the first voice said.

"Doesn't smell dead. Wind Scar didn't hit her, so she's alive," the rough voice said. I heard their footsteps coming closer till I felt them near me. I lifted my head off the ground to see who had saved me. But it was so dark…

Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. By the light of the lightning, I saw who had saved me.

Golden eyes, silver hair…

"Se…shou…?" But before I could finish my sentence, I fainted.

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**A1969: end of chapter. Oh, and I almost forgot. This story has been posted on both mine and Maiden of the Heaven's profiles, just in case you all start to wonder. Oh and, you all know that that I'm going to beg you all to review, right? Please review!**


	2. The Siblings

**A1969: thanks to those who bothered to read this story and those who bothered to review.**

**Inuyasha: and…what else…?**

**A1969: whaddya mean what else?**

**Inuyasha: -cough- disclaimer –cough-**

**A1969: may I offer you a cough drop, Inuyasha?**

**Kagome: aw…she's trying to do a professor McGonagall imitation! Scary. **

**A1969: do I look that old to you? Anyway, Kagome please do the disclaimer for me—I'm allergic to those!  
Kagome: hm…the authors do not own 'Inuyasha' or any of its characters, logos, and etcetera, etcetera…**

**A1969: oh, and let's thank my co-author MOTH (Maiden of the Heavens) for reminding me that it's time for us to update!**

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**Chapter Two:**

**:-The Siblings -:**

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**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Kagome-**

"What's taking Inuyasha and Miroku long, I wonder?" I asked the others as I peered out the doormat, and at the howling rain. The rain fell in torrents, but there was no wind to accompany it. Was the storm abating? I couldn't be sure…

I turned away from the doormat and returned to the others. Shippou was huddled around the fire, Kirara by his side, rubbing his palms together in front of the burning flames. Sango, who was sitting next to Shippou, did not show any sings of feeling the cold. Her gaze was fixed on the flames. I didn't need to be a genius to know that she was worried about Miroku, who was out there battling demons in this bad weather.

My eyes slid to the other girl who sat by herself in the corner. Murasaki's lavender eyes had a faraway expression in them and she seemed to be thinking deep thoughts. Thinking Sango would be just fine with Shippou and Kirara for company, I made my way to the silent young woman whose brow was furrowed, as though she were deep in thought which she probably was.

"Hey," I said as I sat down next to her. She looked up at me, her lavender eyes curious. "How're you holding up?"

"Well, I'm fine," she replied. There was a loud clap of thunder and I saw her shake.

"You're afraid of the thunder?" I asked.

She nodded. "When I was a child, Father always said that thunder was caused by loud demons that demanded blood sacrifice." She was silent for a moment and I wondered if I should dispel her fears by informing her that thunder was not caused by demons but by lightning as it streaked through the air.

"Why?" she suddenly asked herself.

"Eh?" I said.

She shook her head, smiling. "I was just wondering about something," she said, somewhat sheepishly.

I smiled at her. "You're worried about your parents, aren't you?"

She lowered her eyes. "Well…yes, I actually am," she said softly. "I'm even worried about my Father despite the fact that—" Before she could go on, a loud blast was heard coming from the outside.

"That sounded like the Wind Scar!" I exclaimed as I stood up. Sango had already grabbed her Hiraikotsu and was dashing out the door, Kirara following closely behind her.

"Kagome, you stay here, it may be dangerous!" Sango called over her shoulder as the doormat flapped close behind her.

I wanted to go with her, I really did. I was worried about Inuyasha, but at the same time I couldn't leave Murasaki alone.

"What's going on?" she asked, as she stood up.

"I don't know." I was worried. "But…it sounds like Inuyasha's battling a demon…" I heard more shouts coming from outside. What on earth could be happening? Shippou leapt into my arms and I held him tightly against me.

"Go to them, Kagome." Murasaki was looking intently at me. "You don't have to stay here with me…you must be worried about your friends."

She was right—I _was_ worried about Inuyasha and the others. "I'll take this little one from you," she offered, holding out her arms to take Shippou who hesitated, not really trusting Murasaki. I hesitated too. I wanted to go out there and help Inuyasha and the others, but…

"Never mind, Murasaki-chan," I said, smiling. "I'll stay here with you…Inuyasha would want me here, anyway." That part was true.

Murasaki slowly nodded then lowered her arms. At that moment, we became aware of a commotion outside. Voices muttering—angrily, it seemed.

"Are you crazy, Miroku?" Inuyasha's voice was loud enough to be heard above the roar of the howling wind.

"Inuyasha, look at her, surely, you aren't curious?" Miroku argued.

Her? Could they be talking about Sango?

"So what?!" Inuyasha roared. "We don't know her!"

"She could die out here, Inuyasha!" This time, the voice belonged to Sango. Huh? If that's the case, then…who were they talking about?

"I don't care if a bolt of lightning hits her!" Inuyasha roared. "We don't know her, hence she stays out!" I couldn't take it anymore. Entrusting Shippou to Murasaki, I quickly darted out the door and into the storm raging outside.

And wished I hadn't.

The howling wind blew around me, whipping my hair angrily around me. I felt the wind whip needles of rain against my skin and they felt like icy pinpricks. It was unbelievably cold and lightning flashed in the sky above; a second later, a peel of thunder echoed throughout the night sky. I couldn't see clearly—everything was so dark. I was suddenly amazed that Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango's screams had reached us albeit the howling weather.

"I-Inuyasha!" I called out, searching for him frantically. I couldn't see or hear anything. It was so dark and so wet…

There was a sudden gust of wind. I felt its full force pushing me backward. I gasped as I felt myself fall to the ground.

"Kagome, you idiot, what're you doing here?" Strong arms suddenly wound around my shoulders, pulling me before I could completely hit the ground.

I looked up to see Inuyasha's face hovering inches above mine, silhouetted by the jagged flash of lightning that illuminated the stormy night sky. I blushed but he didn't notice.

"Inuyasha," I said, relieved.

"Idiot, what the hell are you doing out here?" he demanded as he gently eased me to my feet. He draped one arm around my shoulders and pulled me to his side to shield me from the storm. "Can't you see this storm's getting worse?"

"I had to find you and the others." I quickly looked to where Sango and Miroku were. Sango and Miroku were both bent over something, but I couldn't see what it was.

"Bah!" Inuyasha had to shout over the noise of the wind. "You should've stayed inside—this storm's dangerous!"

I pouted at him. "Let's go in." Inuyasha gently steered me to the hut. He glanced back over his shoulder and called to Miroku and Sango, "Fine, bring her in, but she's your responsibility, not mine, got it?"

"Bring who in?" I asked as Inuyasha and I neared the warmth of the hut.

It took him a moment to answer. "Someone," he finally said.

Not very helpful.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Murasaki-**

There was a rustle and a moment later, the mat on the doorframe swung open. Immediately a gust of cold wind invaded the room, bringing droplets of water with it.

"Hey!" Shippou complained, fidgeting in my arms. "Close that, Inuyasha!"

Kagome and Inuyasha both came in. They looked as though they had dived into a lake. Their clothes were dripping with water as was their hair.

"Aw, shut up," Inuyasha snapped as Kagome hurried to that strange yellow sack of hers and began rummaging around in it. A moment later, she procured two large white fluffy cloths from the sack and handed one to Inuyasha.

"Here you go," she said.

Inuyasha took the cloth. I was thankful he didn't shake the water off him like he did earlier.

Suddenly, there was another gust of wind as the mat on the door swung open. Miroku and Sango walked in. Huh? Both their arms were wound around the waist of a girl whom they supported between them. Together, the two of them eased then unconscious girl in near the flames. My eyes widened in realization. She was no girl, she was a demoness.

Her wet raven hair was lustrous and it curled around her face and her neck, plastered to her flesh by the water. Her skin appeared pale and somewhat bluish, an indication that she had been in the cold far too long, even for a demon. Her clothing was soaked, the water from the silken kimono she wore immediately pooling around her. What caught my attention the most was the pair of black dog ears that peeked through her hair.

"Who is she?" Shippou asked, jumping from my arms and landing near the unconscious demoness's head.

"We don't know," Sango said as Kagome handed her one of those fluffy white cloths from her sack.

Inuyasha snorted and I take it he was not pleased with sheltering this demoness. Indeed, I myself felt uneasy. I had never even seen a demon and yet here I was—in a hut, filled with demons. Queer was the situation in which I found myself. But before I could think anything else, Inuyasha spoke up, his rough voice bringing me back to reality.

"We don't know her—it's best if we throw her out, don't you think?" the hanyou suggested as he towered over the poor girl.

Kagome glared at him. "Tell me first—what happened? Where did this girl come from?" I thought it somewhat odd that Kagome should refer to the demoness as a girl.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Hoards of demons were chasing her," he explained. "That's all we really know, Kagome."

"Do you think those demons belonged to Naraku?" Kagome asked. I tried to ignore the curiosity that welled up inside me. After all, it was none of my business, really.

"I don't think so," Inuyasha muttered. "Naraku's been lying low for the past several weeks. He's either trying to find a way to get Kouga's jewel shards, or he's trying to find a way to take Kohaku and his shard away from Kikyou—" Kagome immediately nudged Inuyasha in the rib with her elbow and looked pointedly at Sango who was suddenly silent, her eyes fixed on the fluffy white cloth she held in her hands. Was it a look of sadness I saw in her eyes?

"You are so tactless!" Kagome accused.

Inuyasha glared at her. "What're you blaming me for?"

"For being such an idiot!"

"_I'm_ the idiot? Ha! I'm not the one that got nearly blown away by a tiny gust of wind!"

"Sit!"

To my surprise, the string of beads that Inuyasha wore around his neck suddenly glowed with a bright purple light. A moment later, the beads pulled Inuyasha down, ramming him into the ground with a loud crash.

I giggled. Several heads suddenly turned to me, surprised at my reaction, I guess. I blushed.

"Sorry," I said, abashed. "But…that was funny."

"_Funny_?" Inuyasha snapped, raising his head off the floor. I noticed a depression in the wood from the impact of his crash. "You think that was funny?"

I shrugged, something which, as the daughter of a warlord, I've never done since I was a child. It felt good to be a little unorthodox once in a while.

He glared.

"Ah!" the little fox named Shippou suddenly gasped. "Inuyasha, Kagome, this girl's waking up!" Sure enough, the unknown girl was stirring slightly, her eyes fluttering and her fingers twitching. Everyone automatically surrounded the girl. Kagome knelt on one side, Sango on the other. Inuyasha stood at her feet and Miroku knelt by her head, near Sango. I stood quietly behind them, not wanting to be near her. I was a little afraid, I'll admit.

The demoness's eyes suddenly fluttered open.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Nicada-**

I could feel warmth and—strangely—no rain pouring down on me?

I quickly rubbed the water away from my eyes that proceeded to drip from my bangs, and blinked a couple of times in order to focus more clearly.

My ears twitched slightly as I looked up at the demon, who had saved me from the horde that had been hounding me. Golden amber eyes and silver hair…

"Big Brother?" I asked, my voice nothing but a whisper.

His expression became puzzled and he looked over at someone who was apparently to my right side, but I was too sore and in too much pain to move.

"She must be delusional," he said his voice rough, but it was the voice of the one who had saved me. Just not the one I was hoping to see. I could feel my ears drooping in disappointment.

"Inuyasha, stop being so cruel!" The person to my right was female and human, but at least she was defending me.

"You're not him…" I murmured and he simply gave me another puzzled look.

"I'm not who?" he demanded…Inuyasha demanded.

"You're not my brother…" I answered and struggled into a sitting position.

"Who is your brother? We can help you look for him after the storm clears and you're feeling better," the human girl suggested. I could feel something emanating from her…spiritual pressure? Okay, so she's a miko…a very strangely garbed miko.

"Why should we help her? She's only going to get in the way of finding Naraku and the Sacred Jewel shards!" Inuyasha growled.

Suddenly the two of them started arguing; it was strange I had never seen a couple bicker so much in my life.

"I am not going to let you leave her out by herself, when she was almost killed!" the miko retorted.

"She's just gonna slow us down!" the hanyou retorted back.

"Inuyasha…" Her tone became threatening and he backed up away putting his hands up in defense.

"Alright, alright," he said, sounding frightened of the miko.

I looked down as a kitsune walked up to me, carrying a cup of some type of steaming liquid and handed it to me. I cradled it carefully in my hands and blew away some of the steam. I sipped it and smiled a little. It was sweet but it wasn't anything I tasted before.

The kitsune plopped down beside me and smiled. "My name's Shippou. The girl that's arguing with Inuyasha is Kagome. The other girl to your left is Sango, she's a demon slayer, and the one behind you is the lecherous monk, Miroku…I'd be careful with him if I were you." A cat demon mewed beside the fox demon.

"That's Kirara."

I moved away from the monk and the demon slayer as fear crept into me. Had they kidnapped me in order to seal me away like what Kiyoshi had done to **Grandmamma?**

"We aren't going to harm you," the demon slayer named Sango said.

I glared at her and growled low.

To trust either of these two, even the miko named Kagome, could mean my demise. I sipped more of the sweet liquid and looked up at the argument just as the dog demon Inuyasha, crouched down to my level.

"We'll help you look for your brother. But if you end up dying, it's your own fault. Got it?" he said and the silver dog ears at the top of his head twitched. Ah, so he was a hanyou.

I nodded and drained the cup. No sense arguing with him, if he was planning on helping me to find Sesshoumaru.

Kagome stood up and refilled the cup with the same substance, kneeling down beside me.

"What's your brother's name?"

"Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands…you must have heard of him—he's a great demon." I took a long sip of the liquid. Why where they all staring at me like that? The look on their faces was such that one could have surmised that they were witnessing the end of the world. I'm not exaggerating.

"That's impossible!" Inuyasha snarled. "You're lying!"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I am not lying."

"You have to be!" he retorted. "There is no way you're related to him!"

The cup cracked under the pressure I was forcing on it. "I am**_not_** lying," I snapped and he only leaned closer to me, sniffing me. It was a little degrading having a hanyou sniffing me.

I could feel my spiritual energy rise as I knocked him back a little and stood up shakily, unsheathing my Inazuma-Katana, to use the sword as I crouched, narrowing my eyes at him. I was shaking so badly I knew I wouldn't be able to stand for much longer. Inuyasha was glaring at me now, and he was furious. The expressions of his companions were both puzzled and shocked.

"What the hell did you do that for!?" he growled his hand on the hilt of his blade—a blade that looked familiar…

"You were sniffing me, it was demeaning," I said, not being able to tell if I had actually insulted him.

Inuyasha glared at me then raised his claws menacingly in front of him. "You're gonna regret not letting those low life demons kill you," he hissed, his eyes narrowed.

"Inuyasha, SIT!" the miko suddenly cried out and I blinked in surprise as the beads around his neck glowed and he slammed into the ground. Kagome was definitely scary.

I looked over as Inuyasha began forcing himself back to his feet. There was a girl behind him, and she backed into a corner when she realized that I had noticed her. Strange that she had lavender eyes, humans did not have lavender eyes, or maybe I had been in the mountains for too long? A demoness in humanoid form? No, she did not smell like any demon, just a weak human. I would rather be with Sesshoumaru or Grandmamma, not surrounded by humans. Humans that could purify me in an instant…

I could feel everything starting to fade, the monk had his arms around my waist as it all began to go out of focus, I tried to get out of his grasp, but my body was weakening way too fast. Inuyasha was trying to ask me something, but what he was saying I could not tell. The hilt of Inazuma-Katana slid out of my grasp and clattered to the floor…and then everything went dark.

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**-Murasaki-**

"It's impossible and absurd!" Inuyasha was roaring. Literally.

I inwardly sighed. As if the storm that raged outside was not loud enough!

The demoness they had rescued earlier was lying back down beside the fire, unconscious again. Kagome, Inuyasha and their companions were debating about whether or not the girl was lying about this 'Sesshoumaru' person being her brother. From what I gathered of the argument, this 'Sesshoumaru' person was Inuyasha's elder, youkai brother.

"If we did have another half-sibling, then he'd have told me!" Inuyasha snapped at Kagome who had suggested something that I did not quite catch. After all, this conversation did not include me, so why listen?

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, he'd have told you," she said sarcastically. "You and Sesshoumaru would have sat down to tea and begin a conversation on family problems…how brotherly of you two!"

Inuyasha glared at her. It seems that he did not like his elder half-brother. "He'd still have had the _decency_ to tell me!" Inuyasha insisted.

"Leave it to Sesshoumaru to surprise you in this way," Miroku said, sighing. "A very unpleasant surprise this is…"

"Hey!" Inuyasha snapped, turning his glare on the monk. "Who said anything about that girl being related to us? She could be lying! There is no way Sesshoumaru could hide something like this from me!"

"Hm…" Kagome said thoughtfully. "It almost sounds as though you're jealous of having another half-sibling"—Inuyasha looked murderous—"why, Inuyasha? Don't wanna share your elder brother?"

"Shut up, Kagome!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Aw…" his companions cooed.

"ANYWAY," Inuyasha continued. "As I was saying earlier…having another sibling is utterly impossible, absurd…Besides, there's something funny about her—she has more demon blood than human blood, which is strange 'cause if she were a half-demon, then her blood should be balanced. But there's more demon blood than human blood and I sense spiritual energy coming off her."

The others were silent, their expressions thoughtful. "Perhaps she was born from the union of a half-demon and…er…Inuyasha's father…?" the monk Miroku said, in a somewhat faltering voice.

Inuyasha glared at him. Three…two…one…

"She isn't my half-sister, dammit!" he roared. I wished he would stop using such vulgar language.

"You won't know unless you go find Sesshoumaru," Sango said flatly, folding her arms in front of her. "That's the only way you'll know—go find Sesshoumaru."

"Over my dead body will I look for that creep!" Thunder roared as though to emphasize Inuyasha's point. He must hate his brother very much. For a moment, I thought of my own brothers—were they even my brothers?—and felt a sharp pang of pain. I missed them so much.

"You're lucky you still have your brother you know," I said quietly. They all stared at me. I think they must have forgotten that I was even there.

"Lucky?!" Inuyasha roared, turning the full force of his glare at me. I inwardly flinched. "I'd be lucky if he dropped dead!"

"How dare you?!" We all turned to the now conscious demoness. She was sitting up and glaring at us, her dog ears twitching. "How dare you insult Big Brother? It is more than an honor to be related to him!"

"Well, it's a _dis_honor for me!" Inuyasha retorted. The demoness stood up as did Inuyasha. The demoness glared at him and reached for the hilt of her sword at her hip, but stopped as soon as she realized that her sword was gone. Her eyes searched the hut until she found it lying beside the monk.

Inuyasha smirked at her. "Can't do anything without your sword now, can ya?" he taunted as he placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I do not need my blade to defeat a mere hanyou!" the girl snapped, cracking her knuckles menacingly.

"You know, with that slur and tone of voice, the fact that she could be his half-sister is getting more probable," Sango muttered to Miroku.

"Why does he seem to hate his elder brother so much?" I dared to ask.

"They have a long history, those two," Miroku said, sighing. "See, Sesshoumaru loathes humans and half-demons, so they don't really get along with Inuyasha. There are times when they manage to work together"—he looked as though he were remembering something—"but those instances are rare…_excruciatingly_ rare."

I nodded. I had long since learned that full-blooded demons despised half-demons. It was quite sad because it made me realize that half-demons fit nowhere—a demon would look down on a hanyou with disdain while humans would fear and treat a hanyou like an outcast. Where could one such being fit in this world?

"Sit!" It seems that Kagome was fed up with the ongoing argument. She turned to the demoness. "What's your name?" she suddenly asked, bringing to mind that we did not know who the unknown demoness was.

The girl looked at her with apprehension. "Nicada," she finally said. "You may call me Nicada."

Kagome nodded. "Tell us, Nicada…are you really related to Sesshoumaru?"

Nicada nodded. I noticed that her eyes dart to her sword then back to Kagome who was silent. She sighed. "Inuyasha, you'll have to go look for Sesshoumaru soon…after the storm clears," Kagome said as Inuyasha pulled himself off the floor.

Nicada glared at Inuyasha. "Who are you?" she suddenly asked. "And why is it that you seem to know my Big Brother?"

Kagome looked at Inuyasha who didn't look as though he was going to answer Nicada's question—he was too busy glaring at her.

Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha is Sesshoumaru's brother"—Nicada's eyes started to widen—"in short…you guys are half-siblings, if what you're saying is true—"

"WHAT?!" Nicada screamed. "That is impossible! Big Brother would never keep anything as important as this from me!"

"Join the club," Inuyasha muttered.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Inuyasha-**

Damn Sesshoumaru.

I swear, I'm gonna kill him the next time I see him, mark my damn words!

I mean, it was shocking enough to discover—at the tender age of thirty, which is like eight in human years, mind you—that I had a full demon half-brother who wanted me dead by the time I was old enough to learn how to fight. Yeah, big shocker there. I can still remember the day I met the creep, actually…

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.  
**_A trip down memory lane  
-I have a brother?-  
_**.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

_I can still remember the day clearly, as in clearly. Mom and I were strolling in the garden. She looked older, mind you, seeing as it's been thirty years since I was born and all. As I was saying, we were strolling in the garden, just admiring the blossoms since it was spring. I won't waste my time on descriptions of the flowers that were in bloom. I mean, who bothers with flowers?_

_Anyway, Mother and I rounded a hedge and then, out of the blue, a kid rounds the corner. At first—and I'll be damned if Sesshoumaru hears about this—I thought the kid was some sort of god, come down to visit us mortals. I mean, I was just a toddler, got it? So sue me if I thought my bastard half-brother was a god._

_Mother suddenly stops in her tracks, fear on her face. "You," she whispers. She suddenly pushes me back, standing in front of me to protect me. _

"_I," the kid says, narrowing his eyes at her._

"_Sesshoumaru," Mother whispers. I'll never forget the fear in her voice then. It was then I realized that this kid was evil…to the core._

"_Hahaue…" I tugged on her sleeve. The way that Sesshoumaru kid was glaring at me was creepy._

"_What do you want?" Mother asks the kid after a moment's pause. Huh? There was something in her voice. She didn't sound hostile, neither did she sound afraid anymore. It was as if she saw something in him (no wonder, he reminded her of Father)._

"_You know what I want," the kid says, taking a step towards us. His eyes fell on me. I yelped and hid behind Mother. "Hn. Half-breed." Mother flinched at that._

_Half…breed?_

"_You promised your Father," Mother says. Strange that she didn't sound panicked…Hm…father, eh? "You promised your Father that you wouldn't harm your younger brother."_

_Wait…younger…brother? Was…this creepy kid with the cold eyes my…brother?_

"_Half-brother," the kid named…Ses…shou…maru says (damn, that name's a mouthful). "Half-breed half-brother," he adds. "I promised Father, indeed. However, Father is dead. I've no more reason to keep my promise."_

_This time, Mother stands protectively in front of me. I could feel her shaking in fear. Now, for someone over thirty, Mother still looks quite young and strong, mind you. _

"_Step aside," Sesshoumaru hisses as his hands glow a sickly green. "I've no wish to stain my hands with the blood of a filthy human."_

_Arrogant, pompous, self-centered, stoic killing machine. How did his mother raise him? I bet she fed him human blood. And liver…and guts…and bowels._

"_He is still a child," Mother says. Sesshoumaru takes another step towards us. Mother takes a step back, panicked. "G…guards!" _

"_What a fool you are," Sesshoumaru remarks as the guards come pouring into the garden. "You think a group of mere humans is enough to defeat I, Sesshoumaru?" Wow…an attitude at that young age._

_The guards quickly surround Sesshoumaru, their swords drawn. Mother and I back away as the guards rush at the pompous creep. However, what happens next is something my young eyes shouldn't have seen._

_Sesshoumaru suddenly started twirling around, a green whip spinning around him. As the guards rushed towards him, they hit the green whip and—_

"_Cover your eyes!" Mother suddenly crouches in front of me, blocking the fight from my view. But I could still hear it—the sound of flesh tearing, the scream of the guards, the clatter as their swords fell, the spatter of blood and flesh on the cobblestones…_

_A moment later, the sounds stop. Mother looks over her shoulder. Sesshoumaru's pretty face is distorted. His eyes are blood red now and his fangs are bared. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise as I watch him. Damn, I'm gonna have nightmares about this for the next couple of weeks._

"_Izayoi," he hisses. "Hold your son, human. I will come back for him…and I will kill him." White light suddenly envelopes him and, in a flash, he's gone._

"_Inuyasha…are you alright?" Mother asks._

"_Y…yes," I stutter. "Mother…who was he?"_

"_He is your elder half-brother," she whispers, sounding afraid. "Your Father's first born child…Sesshoumaru."_

_I…have…a brother?_

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.  
**

Right. So it was shocking to discover that I had a bastard brother…SO IT'S MORE SHOCKING TO DISCOVER THAT I'VE GOT A HALF-SISTER!

Dammit. This Nicada girl was kidding, right? Another damn half-sibling? Come to think of it, there _is _something rather Sesshoumaru-ish about the glare that she's giving me right now.

"Do you think I'll drop dead if you keep glaring at me?" I demanded. Yeesh…I've already agreed to help her find Sesshoumaru and this is how she thanks me? By glaring at me? You could thank me by vanishing. Right now.

Nicada continued staring at me, her eyes narrowed. "Big Brother would have told me about you," she pointed out. Ick…referring to Sesshoumaru as 'Big Brother'…I prefer to think of him as 'the creep'.

"Too bad he didn't," I shot back.

"You can tell they're related," Sango said flatly. "The same short tempers."

"Must run in the family," Miroku offered.

"Shut up!" I snapped, turning to them. Miroku, Sango and Kagome all gave me 'looks'. The only person who was being silent was Murasaki, who was currently staring at the fire, her eyebrows meeting in the middle, obviously thinking about something important.

"So, Nicada," Kagome said, smiling as she faced Nicada. "Um…How exactly did you meet Sesshoumaru?"

At the mention of the creep's name, Nicada's hostility seemed to vanish. "Big Brother saved me from Horai Island, actually."

Our eyes widened. "Horai Island?"

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Nicada-**

They were all looking me at with shocked expressions again.

I sat down at that point, pulling my sword across my lap, just in case. I felt like I was telling a bunch of overexcited pups a story before their bedtime. This was just too odd.

"Yes," I nodded my head. "Horai Island. I was born and raised there until I was eight."

"Would you get to the point?" Inuyasha snapped, and I glared at him. A short-tempered and overly rude hanyou…I could never be related to him.

"Big brother visited me there on my birthday every year. I think he was just making sure Mama was still alive so he wouldn't have to keep the promise he vowed to her."

"Okay, now I'm positive we're not related and maybe you hit your head or something, because that creep doesn't have one nice bone in his body," Inuyasha pointed out.

I narrowed my eyes at him. If he wouldn't keep interrupting then I could finish this explanation before the horrid memories came flooding back and I started bawling like a newborn.

"Mama was murdered the day after my eighth birthday. Sesshoumaru took me back to the West Palace," I said softly and Kagome looked like she wanted to embrace me. I snarled low. I did not need comfort from a human or any of them. Humans were weak pathetic creatures…

"Was your mother a full-blooded demon?" Sango asked.

I shook my head. "No, Mama was a hanyou, born with both spiritual and demonic powers."

The monk that was sitting beside her grinned, "So my theory was right."

"SHE COULD STILL BE LYING!" Inuyasha roared.

"Who killed your mother?" Kagome asked. I guess these people never heard of privacy.

I clenched my fists, and could feel my demonic powers rising, as his name came out of my mouth in a bit out snarl as tears brimmed at the edge of my eyes. "Ryura…he claimed to be a War God."

It became silent then and Inuyasha smirked a little as if he was remembering a day of triumph over some mighty enemy. I looked over at the human girl with lavender eyes and then looked up at the hanyou that was supposedly my second eldest brother.

"Why is she with you?" I questioned, as she continued to stare into the flames of the fire.

Inuyasha glanced at me, "We saved her from bandits, but once the storm clears, she isn't our problem anymore."

I nodded and pulled my knees up to my chest, resting my sword at my hip. First hordes of demons ravaged my lands and nearly killed me; now I apparently have a second brother—I was perfectly fine with just Sesshoumaru. When did my life get this complicated?

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Kagome-**

The next morning, the storm blew itself out.

I woke up to the sound of growling and a certain tension in the room. Knowing perfectly well where the tension in the room came from, I sat up and glanced in Inuyasha and Nicada's direction. Both of them were sitting as far from each other as was possible; both of them glared at the other and I noticed that their claws twitched continuously, as though they were both itching to use them.

"Yeesh, this early in the morning?" I complained, giving Inuyasha a look.

He ignored me and continued glaring at Nicada. A growl rumbled deep in his chest. "Inuyasha," I warned.

"Better listen to the human, _half-breed_," Nicada hissed, her claws twitching at the hilt of her blade.

If I had any doubt about whether or not Nicada was related to Sesshoumaru, they were all gone by now.

"Stay out of it, Kagome!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Not so loud!" I said, glancing at the others, who were still asleep. Only then did I realize that only Murasaki and Shippou were asleep, the latter curled up against the former. "Where're Miroku and Sango?" I asked.

Inuyasha did not listen, his gaze being fixed wholly on Nicada who snubbed him. "That's it!" Inuyasha roared, getting to his feet. "You're more annoying than Sesshoumaru!"—whoa; to think that Inuyasha would say that is astounding—"Get your butt off the floor and come with me! We're going to look for the creep RIGHT NOW and when we DO find him and when he finds out about your little lie, I HOPE HE'LL FIX YOU!"

Inuyasha continued glaring.

"Aw, keep it down, Inuyasha." I turned to see Shippou already awake, both he and Murasaki sitting up.

"Sorry," I apologized. "Inuyasha's always cranky in the morning."

Murasaki slowly nodded her head, her eyes fixed on Inuyasha. "I take it he is not pleased with his latest discovery?" she asked, tilting her head towards Nicada who turned her eyes on her. Murasaki immediately backed away, Shippou still in her arms. She was very timid and somewhat easily frightened.

"Oh no," I said, shaking my head. "Neither is Nicada pleased with hers."

"You are far too unrefined and crude to be related to my Big Brother," Nicada hissed, her eyes narrowed menacingly.

I could only imagine Sesshoumaru's reaction if he could see this little argument. No doubt, he'd be secretly amused. Though others rarely thought of it, I think Sesshoumaru has a masochistic, sadistic, cynical and impassive sense of humor.

"Are you guys done yet?" Miroku and Sango came in, both looking annoyed. "You've been at it since dawn."

Inuyasha didn't answer; instead, he continued glaring at Nicada with narrowed eyes. I let out a sigh.

We'd better find Sesshoumaru before these two end up killing each other.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

"Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?" I asked Murasaki as we left the hut.

"Yes, I will," she said, nodding. I thought I noticed a faint trace of reluctance in her voice. I looked thoughtfully at her. She looked like such a delicate thing, like a doll that couldn't take care of herself. In fact, whenever I look at her, the one thing that comes into mind is the word 'protect'.

"You could travel with us," I offered. Really, she didn't look as though she could take care of herself at all.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha protested, keeping an eye on Nicada.

Murasaki looked doubtfully at Inuyasha then shook her head. "I'll be fine, really," she stared at the ground which was still muddy from the storm.

I looked doubtfully at her, certain that she would get into trouble. "Well…if you're sure…"

She looked at me and nodded. "Thank you so much for your kindness," she said, smiling as she turned and left.

I watched her go, feeling as though I should call her back and ask her to come with us to wherever she was headed.

"Hurry it up, Kagome!" Inuyasha called, impatience in his voice. "Let's find Sesshoumaru and sort this whole mess out!"

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**A1969: well, there you have it, chapter two!  
Kagome: been a while, as always.  
Inuyasha: I'll actually be amazed if you can update fast…  
A1969: shut up! Anyway, thanks to those who bothered to read and who bothered to review the first chapter. Now…review this one! Or…Inuyasha dies! –points gun at Inuyasha-  
Inuyasha: huh? Why me?!  
A1969: 'cause we can afford to lose you.**


	3. The lord

**A1969: by now, you all should know my co-author and I would like to thank those who bothered to read, and to those who bothered to review!  
Inuyasha: I'm not talking to you.**

**A1969: just because I said we could afford to lose you? I was only joking! You can ask Kagome about it.**

**Kagome: err…**

**A1969: anyway, neither I nor Maiden of the Heavens owns anything—except the OCs and the plot. Enjoy!  
**

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**Chapter Three**

**:-The lord-:**

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Inuyasha-**

I glare at her, and she glares back in earnest.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome warns, giving me a look that means 'sit.'

"Keh!" I cross my arms across my chest, and look away. Dammit. We had been travelling for several hours now, and still no sign of that blasted creep, Sesshoumaru. I walk in the back, with Kagome, while that annoying Nicada walks in front with Miroku and Sango. Every now and then, she'll look back and glare at me—and I'll return the gesture with a glare of my own.

"Can't you two please get along?" Kagome says, her voice low. It's obvious that she means only for me to hear it, but Nicada could hear her, I was certain.

"Why should I?" I sneer. "After all, when Sesshoumaru finds out that this pompous moron is lying, she'll be dead. So, it's a waste of time to get along, Kagome."

"Big Brother will slaughter _you_," she corrects, glaring at me from over her shoulder.

I growl at her. Seriously—she was more annoying than that creep, Sesshoumaru! And that was just wrong.

"Well, if you two can't get along, could you at least try not to kill each other?" Kagome begs.

"The tension in the air is so thick, you can cut it with a knife," I hear Miroky whisper to Sango.

"I'll say," Sango agrees. "Say, Miroku…if Nicada really is related to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, then…why do you think Sesshoumaru didn't tell Inuyasha?"

"Well, Sesshoumaru doesn't think very highly of Inuyasha now, does he?" Miroku answers in a knowing voice. "And besides, Sesshoumaru probably felt it best to raise Nicada on his own. After all, you can't trust Inuyasha when it comes to—"

"It's not like I can't hear you!" I holler, glaring at them. They look sheepish.

"Say, Inuyasha," Kagome says, catching my attention. "Where do you think Sesshoumaru is, anyway?"

"Human, Kagome, is it not?" To our surprise, it was Nicada who addresses Kagome. Keh.

"Y-yes?" Kagome stutters.

"You will do well to address Big Brother as _Lord_ Sesshoumaru," she says. What the hell?

"What are you, his publicist?" I mutter. The last word I had learned from Kagome when I once caught her leafing through the pages of a 'magazine'.

"Impudent half-breed," Nicada sneers.

"Heh," I say. "You calling me a half-breed? You're not exactly a pure demon yourself."

"Tch, at least I have more demon blood than you, mutt!"

"Ha! Do you find anything wrong with mutts, Nicada? Don't forget—Sesshoumaru's the pure mutt!"

"You will not insult Big Brother!"

"I can call him whatever I want!"

Nicada suddenly spins around, a hand on the hilt of her sword. Miroku and Sango both stop, exclaiming in astonishment.

"Oh, so you wanna fight me, do ya?!" I snarl, drawing out my Tessaiga. "Bring it on!"

"Inuyasha!" I ignore the voices of my friends. Damn, they could be annoying sometimes—except Kagome.

"I shall take your overgrown head, half-breed, and present it to Big Brother!" Nicada snarls.

"Not before I rip out that blasted tongue of yours!" I shout. "Then I'm gonna slit your stomach, take out your guts, and throw them to the buzzards! By the time I'm through with you—"

"Sit!"

Dammit! I feel myself falling to the ground, my face hitting the hard earth. Ouch! Though not necessarily painful, the damn sits were uncomfortable! And when Kagome gets mad, that's when it starts to hurt like hell. Dammit!

"Kagome!" I roar, standing up and glaring at her.

"Will you two please shut up?!" she exclaims.

"Why are you siding with her?!"

"I think I asked you _both_ to keep it down!" she points out.

"Keh!" I snap. "This is our fight—stay the hell out of it!"

"Tch," Nicada makes that damn annoying sound again. "You sit like a common dog, mutt!"

"Don't give me that mutt crap!" I roar. "After all, if you're really related to that creep, Sesshoumaru, you're a mutt yourself, mutt!" Damn! I can just imagine doing the Adamant Barrage on this damned idiot!

"You will insult neither me, nor Big Brother!" she says scathingly. She takes a step towards me, anger written all over that pretty face of hers. "Do so again, and you shall pay with your life!" She draws out her puny sword to prove her point.

"Nicada!" Kagome says, anxious.

"Keh, bring it on, wench!" I say, drawing out Tessaiga again.

She's going down.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Nicada-**

The Tessaiga…

That powerful blade is in the hands of this _half-breed? _

I can practically feel myself cringing in disgust, as he swings the sword like a woodcutter, ready to finish me off with one blow. I quickly blocked it as our weapons clash, the Inazuma-Katana sparking dark purple electricity as he continues to hammer away at it.

"I thought you would be giving me more of a challenge?" Inuyasha says snidely, our weapons locked. I could feel the brute physical strength just behind his blade.

I glare at him. My rage toward this mutt only increases the jolts proceeding from my blade. I step back a little to make room for one of my favorite attacks from my sword, and he charges at me. What a fool.

"Storm of Lightning Needles!" I swing the blade with one fluid motion as the attack takes form and many jolts of lighting in the shape of needles head directly toward him.

He shields himself with his Tessaiga, as the needles pierce his skin, jolting him for a second before the Tessaiga becomes covered in diamonds. I back up, putting the Inazuma-Katana into a defensive position, even though my senses were screaming at me like crazy, I held my ground.

One thing that Sesshoumaru taught me was to never run from an enemy, and I certainly was not running from Inuyasha, of all people.

"ADAMANT BARRAGE!" The attack came at me faster than I could throw up a spiritual barrier; it hit me several times leaving me battered, before the barrier finally began taking the damage.

"INUYASHA, SIT!" Kagome was giving him a look that could kill, as the beads around his neck slammed him into the ground.

I lowered the barrier, and sheathed the Inazuma Katana. The kitsune demon, Shippou, hopped on to my shoulder, and I winced a little in pain. I could feel the stinging cuts on my arms and on my cheek, bleeding. Inuyasha was more powerful than I initially thought.

What a surprise.

"Are you going to be alright, Nicada?" the little fox demon questioned and I nodded in reply.

Kagome was busy patching up Inuyasha—who was now sitting up on the ground and protesting loudly—by putting bandages on his bleeding shoulder and one huge one, where one of the lightning needles had grazed his cheek.

Inuyasha was glaring at me, but for some odd reason, I saw him smirk at me a little as if he approved of me. I turned my head away, just as he got back to his feet.

"I'm mildly surprised that you were able to withstand Adamant Barrage for that long. Seems you're not as pathetic as I thought you were," he says gruffly and I simply scoff.

"Pathetic is needing medical treatment from humans," I sneered, still not looking at him.

"Why you little wench!" he snarls as he pushes Kagome away from him, and stands up to face me yet again.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome snaps as she falls on her rear on to the hard ground.

He pulls out Tessaiga again. "I'm going to—!"

His threat goes unfinished as the ground beneath all of us starts shaking and a loud blast was heard.

"What's going on?" Shippou cries, jumping into Kagome's arms.

Another blast leaves the ground trembling beneath us, and I rush off toward the sound, Inuyasha right behind me, while his precioushuman yells after him to slow down, but he only ignores her.

Skidding to a stop, I land in a village beside the ocean, the moist sand beneath my feet reminding me of the home I lost. All around us, the villagers shrieked and fled from their homes, some carrying infants, others baskets with valuables on their heads.

"What the hell?!" Inuyasha exclaims, as he lands a few yards away from me, and I turn to see what he was staring at. My eyes widened in shock.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" Kagome asks, finally catching up to us with the monk and demon slayer.

"I thought we killed them…" he replies quietly indicating to the gigantic turtle that crashed through the waves, and sitting on top of him was a demon, wearing a striped and slightly torn bottom, a miniature cannon propped on his shoulder.

Jura and Gora, two of the Four War Gods of Horai Island…I looked over at Inuyasha.

If he had killed them once before like he says, then why were they here now?

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Murasaki-**

It was boring.

This journey of mine was utterly monotonous. The day was now sunny, and the birds chirped merrily up in the beech trees, despite the fierce storms of last night. I sighed as I continued onwards. I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably in hunger. I instantly regretted not going with Kagome and the others, but they wanted to look for a certain demon, and I was headed towards Mount Ozura.

I sighed. What would the cooks in the palace be cooking at this time, I wonder? At the thought of the palace, my stomach tightened, and it had nothing to do with the hunger. Would Father have sent men to look after me? Or would mother dissuade him from doing so?

Ever since I had left, I had often dwelled on their conversation the other night. Why did Father want my life? And what did he mean when he said that I was born to do something? Furthermore, why did he say that I was not his daughter, but my mother's? Was I…a lovechild born out of an illicit tryst between my mother and an unknown lover?

The thought tormented me with pain and despair. Indeed, I seem to have forgotten my empty stomach.

I sighed as I continued walking. Shadows cast by the trees fell across me. They seemed ominous to me. And then, it hit me. I was utterly defenceless, and on my own with no weapon—not that I knew how to use one, that is—with which to defend myself.

I sighed again, this time with worry. What if I should come across bandits again? What then? At the thought of bandits, my heart beat wildly and my pace quickened. I hoped there was a village here somewhere. But I could see nothing but more forest ahead of me, and trees that loomed menacingly over me

All around me, signs of the storm were prominent. The ground beneath my sandals was slick and muddy, and I took care to avoid potholes that were filled with mud. Broken tree branches lay against the ground, half-covered in mud. These too I avoided with alacrity.

I sighed again as I looked ahead at the path. I had never seen so much devastation before, being cooped up in the palace, where everything was a bed of roses.

For a brief moment, I wondered how the peasants fared. Were their fields ravaged by the storm? Were they hungry? Did they have food?

Speaking of food…

Urgh. My stomach growled at me, reminding me that I had yet to fill it with provisions. "Will you keep it down?" I snapped at my stomach. "It's not like there's anything to eat in this forest…" Talking to my stomach—not a very good sign.

It growled again.

I sighed. "Fine," I muttered. I turned right, and into a few bushes, carefully parting them with my hands. The leaves were wet with last night's rain, and they dampened my kimono. I stumbled through the bushes, nearly tripping as I did so.

Now, what to eat in a forest?

Fruits? I looked up at the trees. Nope, these weren't fruit-bearing trees. I glanced at the surrounding bushes—nope, no berries on them.

My stomach roared again.

"Keep it down, won't you?" I said, sighing. The hunger must have gotten to my head.

It growled again. Why couldn't an inn just miraculously spring out of nowhere? I had the money to spend, after all. My eyes flickered around the tiny little meadow, and eventually settled on the base of a tree.

"Mushrooms," I said to myself. I sighed and knelt at the base of the tree where the mushrooms grew. These mushrooms looked like tiny little brown parasols with spots of white on top. I wasn't used to eating only mushrooms…

Beggars cannot be choosers, I'm afraid.

"Fine," I muttered to myself. "You'll have to do." I carefully placed a hand on the stem of the parasol-like mushroom and tugged it from the ground.

"I wouldn't eat those, if I were you, miss," a little voice quipped.

"Gah!" Startled, I jumped up to my feet, mushroom still in hand, and spun around to see who had spoken up.

"I'm sorry, miss." Eh? A…little girl? "I didn't mean to startle you so badly—oh! You have really pretty eyes!"

I blinked. The little girl standing in front of me was probably only seven or eight summers. She had a sweet face, and beautiful brown eyes. A part of her hair was tied up into a lopsided ponytail on her head, and her yukata—orange and checkered—seems to have been made of fine cloth.

The wayward child of a lord, or a kitsune in disguise?

I was automatically cautious—what was a little girl doing out here on her own, in a storm ravaged forest?

"Er…thank you?" I stared at her. Well, if this child was a kitsune, it was a very convincing one.

"You really shouldn't eat those mushrooms, miss," she said, smiling as she skipped towards me.

I felt myself go stiff. "They're not good for eating." She was holding—my stomach growled quietly—an armful of peaches.

I stared at the single mushroom I held in my hand. Sure, I'd heard that there were certain types of these things that were poisonous, but I'd never really had that much experience with mushrooms. I dropped it.

It was then that my stomach chose to make another loud gurgling noise, as though it protested to me dropping that one inedible mushroom.

The little girl in front of me giggled again. "Here," she said, picking out two of her peaches and holding them out to me. "You can have these."

I looked hesitantly at her and, before I could stop myself, blurted out, "What do you intend to do, kitsune?"

She blinked at me and, to my surprise, she giggled again. It was such a sweet sound. "I'm not a kitsune," she said, giggling. "I'm human, like you."

As I stared at her, it was difficult not to believe her. She was still holding out her peaches to me. I hesitated, took several steps towards her, and took the fruits from her. Normally, I would never take anything from a child, but…well…I was famished.

"Thank you," I said, smiling a little.

She shot a toothy grin at me. "My name is Rin," she announced. "What's yours?"

I hesitated again. "My name is Murasaki," I said, purposely omitting my surname in case Father was looking for me.

She nodded. "I think it goes well with your eyes!" she said, giggling again. She glanced around, found a fallen log, skipped to it and sat down, not minding that it was still somewhat damp from the rain.

Hesitantly, I followed her to the log. "Er…do you mind?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Thank you." I sat down next to her and watched as she ate her peaches. I sighed and, much to my stomach's joy, I bit into one of the peaches. It was sweet and juicy, the flesh white. After I finished it, I scarfed down the other one.

I finished before she did.

"Tell me," I said, turning my head to the child who was still chewing. "Rin, wasn't it? What are you doing out here on your own?"

She shook her head. "I'm not alone," she corrected. "Master Jaken is catching up, and I was looking for something to eat."

"I shouldn't have taken your food," I said, feeling contrite.

She shook her head again. "Master Jaken isn't fond of peaches," she said. "And I think I got too much."

"So," I said. "You are an apprentice to a master, a master of music or painting?" It made sense if she was—after all, masters were known for traversing the countryside these days.

She blinked at me. "Master Jaken isn't that kind of master," she said, shaking her head. "He's been following Lord—"

"Rin!" A shrill voice cut through the still morning air, making me jump to my feet. Beside me, Rin hopped off the log as well.

"Master Jaken, I'm over here!" Rin called out.

I tensed as the bushes in front of us rustled ominously. "You silly girl!" the shrill voice said as the rustling continued. "How many times have I told you not to wander off by yourself?!"

A moment later, something came through the bushes, something that made my eyes widen in shock. What was it...? It...looked like a toad demon...I think. It held a two-headed staff in its hands. It wore a black hat on its head and—how ironic—religious garb? Its eyes were big and yellow, and they were fixed on me.

I gasped, and took a step back. "What's this, Rin?!" it screeched. This...was...her Master Jaken...?

"This is Murasaki-san, Master Jaken," the little girl announced, smiling.

"But you're...a demon," I stammered, taking another step back, obviously ready to bolt for it.

"I don't care who she is!" the toad said in a sulky tone. "Let's go back, you silly child, this instant!"

"Okay," Rin said docilely as she skipped towards him. I felt like stopping her then and there. What was a human child doing with a demon? "Bye, Murasaki-san!" she called out, waving, as she and Jaken left.

I was still too thunderstruck from what I'd just witnessed to return her farewell. I stood there, watching them go with a ludicrous expression on my face. A few moments after they'd left, I shook my head vigorously, still astounded.

A demon and a human child...

How bizarre.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Kagome-**

"Impossible!"

That was the first word that came out of my mouth as I stood beside Inuyasha, Nicada, Miroku, Sango and Kirara. Shippou was perched lightly on my shoulder.

Jura and Gora...

Two of the Four War Gods of Horai Island...

Alive.

How?

Gora, that giant turtle of a demon, was half-submerged underwater in the ocean, his back totally submerged in the salty water, while Jura was standing smugly on his head, cannon over his shoulder. They were alive and, a moment later, I knew why.

"Inuyasha!" I gasped, as I felt an all too familiar pull. "They...they have Shikon shards!"

"What?!" Everyone gasped.

"Then...that can only mean they were resurrected by Naraku!" Miroku guessed.

A moment later, I heard Jura laughing. "Inuyasha," he sneered. His voice was loud enough to reach the shores. "What a pleasant surprise, seeing you here."

"Bastard!" Inuyasha snarled. "Why did Naraku resurrect you?"

Jura laughed and aimed his cannon at us. "That's for me to know, and for you to find out!" A second later, there was a loud boom, and a flash of light sped towards us.

"Kagome!" I felt my feet leave the ground as Inuyasha scooped me into his arms. He jumped into the air at the same time that everyone else scampered. He landed neatly on the ground and put me down.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded. "Damn it," he went on, anger in his voice. "What is Naraku pulling now?!"

"I don't know," Miroku said as he and Sango landed beside us. They were on Kirara. "But whatever it is, it isn't good." Above us, the clouds had darkened and thunder roared in the sky. The village behind us was now completely deserted.

"First the Band of Seven, and now them," Sango muttered, her eyes fixed on Jura and Gora. The wind blew savagely around us. The air was briny and smelled of sea water. "But where are the other two...?"

"Wait," I said, glancing around. "Where's Nicada?"

Nicada was standing a few yards away from us, near the water. Her fists were clenched, and her fangs were bared as she looked up at the so-called war gods.

"You...bastards," she hissed.

"Well, if it isn't little Yamie," Jura taunted, smirking. "Long time no see, puppy."

Nicada growled, her hand going to her sword. Did she know them? Obviously.

"You bastards," she hissed, drawing out her sword. In that moment, the hotheadedness that ran throughout Inuyasha's clan took control of her. "You're all dead!" She leapt from the shore and towards Jura. Whoa, the adrenaline—if demons had that—aggrandized her jump, and she easily leapt from the shore towards Jura, fury in her eyes.

"Hey there, puppy," Jura taunted, as he lifted his cannon again. There was a blast of light...

"Nicada!" I screamed.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Nicada-**

I barely missed the cannon fire by inches, I could feel the heat from the attack against my skin as I landed in front of Jura, and he did not seem the least bit surprised that I had survived it, in fact he almost seemed pleased.

"Now we can have more fun," Jura jeered, and he swung his weapon at me, and I swiftly blocked it. The gigantic turtle shook from side to side in the harsh waves and it almost felt like Gora was laughing as I nearly lost my balance on the over-sized turtle.

He took the opportunity to swing his cannon into my stomach, knocking the air out of me as I could feel myself falling from Gora and toward the crashing waves.

Damn it.

"Too bad your mother isn't here too save you!" He laughed, looking down at me as I fell. I could feel the rush of the salty air as I plummeted towards the crashing waves.

I gripped my sword tightly and felt the familiar sparks of electricity coming from it as I aimed at the blade at Jura, rage coursing through my veins instead of blood.

"SHOCKWAVE!"

The wave of dark purple lightning hit Jura directly, and he cried out in pain; unfortunately the attack was not powerful enough to kill him. The sound of the waves was getting closer as I squeezed my eyes shut and sheathed my sword, preparing myself for impact.

I heard the cannon go off again as Jura cried out in rage, "You little bitch, it's a good thing he wants you dead!"

Wait…who's _he_? The blast of light missed me by inches once again as it plunged into the sea, leaving it pouring on me like rain. Jura continued to fire with poor aim as I could feel the water coming up to soak my kimono…but my cold watery grave did not come.

"That was really reckless," someone growled and I opened my eyes as I felt a pair of arms around me, catching me.

Like _he_ never was?

Inuyasha glared at me with disapproval…almost like Sesshoumaru, as he carried me back to the shore and set me on my feet. I staggered a little as Kagome came running over.

"Are you both alright?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Of course, I'm alright. His measly attacks didn't even touch me," Inuyasha replied in a gruff manner.

I looked over at the half-demon, who was supposedly related to Big Brother and me. He could have let me drown…or did he just save me because his human mate begged him too?

Inuyasha glanced over at me, the Tessaiga unsheathed. "What?" he snapped, and I narrowed my eyes at him, perhaps thanking him now was not such a good idea…

"Kagome, let's combine your arrow with the Backlash Wave and get rid of these pests," Inuyasha said, ignoring me after I did not reply.

Kagome gave him an apologetic look, before saying nervously. "I used my last couple of arrows in our last battle…"

Inuyasha snarled, "Why didn't you make more while we were at Kaede's?!"

Kagome glared at him angrily, "For one I don't have the supplies needed to make them, and two, I don't know how!"

I blinked at the two of them. For a priestess…she was useless.

Jura fired another round from his cannon, and I quickly formed a barrier, as the spheres of light bombarded against it. They were seriously arguing over a solution while we were under attack? I was not going to be able to keep this barrier up forever.

"Would you two figure out a damn solution?! I can't keep shielding you all for much longer!" I snapped and Kagome and Inuyasha looked over at me, as if they had forgotten the present life-threatening danger we were in.

"Just combine attacks with Nicada, I'll keep the barrier steady while you two think of a fast strategy," the monk named Miroku suggested as he and the slayer rushed over to us; I looked at him, horrified. Was he serious?

"No way, she'll probably end up getting me killed!" Inuyasha growled at him.

Kagome sighed and shoved Inuyasha toward where I was standing. "Inuyasha this is the best we can do right now, so stop being so stubborn!"

Inuyasha huffed, "Fine, but if we end up dying, it's _her _fault."

I glared at him, and he glared back. I looked over at the monk, called Miroku. He nodded and took his staff, shoving it into the sand as the barrier pulsated with new life.

I unsheathed the Inazuma-Katana, while Inuyasha drew Tessaiga, and we stepped out of the safety of the barrier.

Jura sneered, "So both puppies have come out to play."

I ignored him and raised my blade, calling forth Shockwave as Inuyasha swung his blade to form the Wind Scar. Both powerful attacks, merged into one as they surged toward the two War-Gods…but something went wrong. The attacks dissipated as soon as came in contact with Jura and Gora.

"What the hell?!" Inuyasha exclaimed, and quickly grabbed me around the waist as a huge fireball from Gora's back was heading straight toward us. They destroyed our attacks with a simple fireball?

Inuyasha continued hauling me inside the barrier as the attack hit, shaking our protection to oblivion as waves rose up soaking us with droplets of water. I stepped around the crater that had been made on the sandy shore and let the cold seawater wash over my feet.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha hissed, "They got away!"

I looked back at him, wanting to blame him for it, but I knew that was not true. Somehow the War Gods that I had been forced to deal with during my pup-hood had grown much stronger…

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Murasaki-**

Here I was again.

After meeting that child, Rin, I was on my way again, my stomach happily sated. I had managed to find a muddy road, and I was confident that I'd find a village soon. Now the only thing I had to worry about was bandits...

"Did you hear?" a male voice said. I glanced briefly over my shoulder, skittish again. Two travellers were a few meters behind me, a young man and woman. I continued walking.

"You mean about the runaway princess of Subarashii castle?" the girl said.

I stopped in my tracks, dread coursing through me.

Drats.

"They say Lord Subarashii is looking for her," the boy went on. I heard their voices getting closer. Would these two recognize me? I hoped not. "They also say that Lady Subarashii was the one who sent Lady Murasaki away."

The blood froze in my veins. Gossip travelled faster than demons.

They were already on level with me. I hastily knelt on the ground, pretending to fix my tabi socks so as to not draw attention to myself.

"Why did she runaway, though?" the girl went on as they passed by me.

"I don't know," the boy replied. "Some say she eloped, some say her life was in danger—from what?"

"My aunt says from her own Father..." I couldn't hear anymore as they walked away. It took me several moments to get my bearings. I stood up, and realized that I was shaking badly. I looked down at my hands which were quivering. I felt cold.

My Father...

Why did he want me dead? And...he was looking for me already.

I quickened my pace at the thought. I swerved off the road and into the forest, not realizing where I was going. I didn't care—I just wanted to leave the world and all its enigmas behind.

As I delved deeper and deeper into the forest, the light grew thinner and the shadows darker. I stopped in my tracks. I'd been too lost in thought about the conversation I'd overheard to realize that I was wholly and utterly lost.

Great.

Just great.

Nice work, Murasaki.

I sighed. Now was not the time to let my thoughts dwell on my Father—now was the time to find a way out. The shadows fell over me, and I felt a shiver go up my spine. It was easy to imagine all the demons and spectres that hid themselves in the shadows. This in mind, I turned towards the path that I took earlier.

"Well, well, well," a pleasant male voice said behind me.

My blood froze in my veins again.

I spun around.

There was no one there. I heard a pleasant chuckle...from the sky.

I looked up, and my eyes widened in shock. There was a rather effeminate man hovering in the air. He had flaming red hair, and wore read armor. There was rouge on his lips and he carried a large crimson fan in his hand. A pair of crimson wings sprouted from his back, and he was surrounded by fiery birds.

Run.

I wanted to, but my feet wouldn't move.

"Who...who are you?" I stammered, my voice lower than a whisper. My accursed feet still wouldn't move.

The man smiled pleasantly as he looked down at me. "I am Kyura, one of the Four War Gods," he said, his red lips smirking.

War...Gods...?

"You must be the princess Murasaki," he went on. He smiled again. Beside him, his blazing birds cawed shrilly.

Run.

This time, my feet obeyed. I turned and charged through the trees, my legs running faster than they had in all my life. Before I could get far, however, there was a flash of red and the demon named Kyura was suddenly in front of me.

I gasped as I stopped in my tracks. At the same time, his hand reached out and grabbed me by the arm, drawing me to him.

"Don't think I'll let you get away," he said, his voice suddenly menacing. The grip he had on my arm was tight—I could feel my fingers going numb.

"My," he went on, raising an eyebrow at me. "Aren't you a fragile little denizen? Hmph. I don't know what Naraku wants with you, but..." He shrugged.

"Let me go!" I snapped, trying—in vain—to tug my arm away from him.

He laughed and tightened his grip. I squealed. It felt as though he was going to break the bones in my arm!

"Naraku did say to bring you back unharmed," he said, his grip still tightening. "But if you continue to squirm like a pathetic worm..." His grip tightened even further and I gasped. "Hm?" he said as he looked over my head, at something I couldn't see.

His expression suddenly brightened. "It's you!" he said, smirking. I glanced over my shoulder and my eyes widened. Someone was emerging from the shadows of the trees.

"You again," a cold voice said.

A second later, the owner of the voice emerged from the shadows.

He was a demon, and he reminded me of Inuyasha. He was taller, though. His eyes were colder, and more narrowed. He had a crescent moon on his forehead and two stripes on each side of his cheek. He didn't have Inuyasha's—I admit—cute dog ears. His own ears were pointed. His hair was silver, silken and reached past his waist, almost to his knees. He wore a breastplate and spiked armor over his white kimono. There were red honeycombs at the collar and sleeves of his kimono (the symbol of his clan?). The boots he wore were obviously from the mainland. The last thing I noticed was fur draped over his shoulder.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Kyura said pleasantly...too pleasantly. "How nice to see you."

Wait...Sesshoumaru? The name was familiar...wait! He was the one Nicada and Inuyasha were looking for!

"Still alive, huh?" this Sesshoumaru said. His tone was colder than winter. He drew out his sword—one of two—that was strapped around his waist.

"Now, now," Kyura said, smiling pleasantly. "Is that how you greet me after you killed me?"

"Hn," Sesshoumaru said, his golden eyes narrowing at Kyura.

"Besides," Kyura said. "Unfortunately, Lord Sesshoumaru, I do not have time for you." He suddenly looked down at me and tightened his grip on my arm again.

"More half-breeds, huh?" Sesshoumaru said, his eyes fixed on me. I froze. Of the two, I'd say I was more frightened of the newcomer.

"This one isn't for the Cauldron of Resonance, I'm afraid," Kyura said, sighing reminiscently.

"What is your connection to Naraku?" Sesshoumaru suddenly said, pointing his sword at Kyura...and at me.

Kyura smiled devilishly at him. "Now why would I tell you that?" he asked playfully.

"Then, if you have nothing to say, you might as well die." In the blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru sped towards us, sword held at the ready.

Kyura's arms suddenly tightened around my waist. A second later, he leapt agilely into the air, hovering high above Sesshoumaru, who followed suit and leapt towards us, his sword still aimed at Kyura's heart. But to get to his heart, he'd have to go through mine.

"Tch!" Kyura suddenly threw me away from him. I gasped as I fell to the ground. I tried to land on my feet, and a second later, a sharp and acute pain shot through my right ankle as I hit the ground. I gasped and fell on my knees.

"Stay there!" Kyura hissed as he began engaging Sesshoumaru in combat.

I didn't watch them fight—I was far too preoccupied with the shattering pain in my right ankle to notice. Well, the only things I did notice were the explosions of their attacks, and the blasts of light that preceded them.

I gingerly placed a hand on my ankle, lowering my tabi sock. The skin around my ankle was swollen and reddish. I placed a finger there, and cringed. The pain was immense.

"Crimson Demon Fan!" I looked up, distracted from the pain, to see that the demon named Kyura wave his fan at the other demon named Sesshoumaru. Jets of flame shot from the fan and towards Sesshoumaru. They spiralled around him, enveloping him in a pillar of flame.

"This brings back memories," Kyura said as he landed gracefully on the ground, in front of the pillar of flame. Was that man...demon, dead?

"Hm?" Jets of light shot out from the flames in rapid succession. The fiery pillar surged and exploded to reveal Sesshoumaru, unscathed. He suddenly rushed at Kyura who took to the air again, his crimson wings spreading on either side of him. Kyura waved his fan at Sesshoumaru and fiery birds materialized from thin air and soared straight towards him. He simply slashed at the fiery birds with his sword, and they turned to cinders.

"Enough," Sesshoumaru hissed, holding his sword in a horizontal position in front of him. The sword glowed with a vibrant blue-white light. Suddenly, a dragon of the same color materialized behind him.

"Dragon Strike!" The luminous dragon suddenly soared towards Kyura, and the light glowed so brilliantly, I had to shield my face with my sleeves.

"As powerful as ever, Lord Sesshoumaru," I heard Kyura saying. "I eagerly await to engage you in combat once again!" Even for a human, I could feel a powerful surge in energy. I could hear the ground as rocks were gouged out and tossed helter-skelter, and then...

Silence.

I hesitantly lowered the sleeve of my kimono, and my eyes widened in astonishment. Several trees had been uprooted from the ground and scattered here and there. Some trees had been cut cleanly in half, others had been burned until only their stumps remained. Massive amounts of earth had been gouged out of the ground, creating shallow fissures and holes. Dust was just settling.

And the person responsible for it all was standing amidst the settling dust. It was that demon named Sesshoumaru. It seemed that Kyura must have run off.

Sesshoumaru sheathed his sword, his face impassive and cold.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" a familiar high-pitched voice cried out, as the bushes that managed to survive began rustling. A moment later, two figures stumbled from the bushes.

"Rin?" I said with disbelief as the little girl straightened up.

Rin looked up. "Murasaki-san?" she said, forgetting her lord and hurrying towards me.

"It's you again!" the other one—Jaken, I recall—screeched, leering at me.

"What are you doing here? Are you injured?" Rin asked, kneeling beside me.

At the mention of the word 'injured' the pain in my ankle became even more prominent. I felt the finger resting on my ankle shake slightly.

"No." Her eyes strayed to my ankle, noticing that it was both red and swelling. "Yes," I amended. "I think I just sprained my ankle, though." I looked at her gravely. "You didn't answer my question—what are you doing here?"

"I travel with Lord Sesshoumaru," she answered. She looked around just as Sesshoumaru started walking away.

"Ah!" she said, seeing her lord leave. She was about to follow him, but stopped in her tracks, looking back at me.

"Wait," I said hesitantly, not to Rin, but to the demon who was walking away. I felt afraid, addressing this...demon.

He didn't stop, instead he continued onwards towards the trees. "You're him, aren't you?" I said. Some part of me questioned my sanity, but there was no other way I could think of to repay Kagome and Inuyasha's kindness towards me last night. The least I could do was make their search a little easier.

"What are you talking about, wench?!" Jaken screeched, stopping just behind his lord and turning towards me. I cringed. I have never been addressed in such a vulgar manner before, and the experience was...unsettling.

I ignored him, my gaze fixed on Sesshoumaru's back. He had stopped walking, his back to me. "You're the one that Nicada and Inuyasha were looking for, aren't you?"

He glanced at me from over his shoulder and I inwardly trembled. Those cold eyes were...ominous and forbidding.

"Nicada?" he said.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-???-**

The afternoon was overcast with dark clouds looming over the horizon, threatening rain. I glanced up idly at the sky, leaning my back against the tree underneath which I sat. The day was so dim, there were no shadows that fell on the ground. The breeze that stirred the leaves of the tree felt cool, a sign of impending rain. Again.

I scoffed and tapped a finger to the center of my forehead, where the blasted Shikon shard was embedded. To think that I, of all demons, should rely on a mere piece of crystal to sustain my life was pitiful. But then again, I couldn't deny that I wanted this life—another chance to live, another chance at revenge.

I heard the wind rustling behind me, announcing a new arrival. "So, failed to get the girl, Kyura?" I asked indolently. I heard the rustling of silk as the effeminate Kyura traipsed in front of me.

He let out a long sigh as he sat on the ground in front of me. "Lord Sesshoumaru turned up," he said, sighing again.

"Ah," I said. "What an aggravating mutt."

"What shall we do?" Kyura asked. "Naraku wants the girl..." He paused, frowning. "Do you suppose it is wise to trust that Naraku?"

"No, of course not," I scoffed.

Kyura was silent. "What does Naraku want with a mere human girl anyway?" he asked. "That wench looked so frail...so excruciatingly fragile."

It was my turn to be silent. Of course I knew what Naraku wanted the girl for—he had warned me not to divulge what I knew to my brothers, but who was he to order me around?

I glanced around, making sure Naraku's insects weren't around to overhear. "I'll tell you and the rest soon," I said, as I stood up.

"Where are you going, brother Ryura?" he asked, looking up at me.

I smirked. "It's time I paid a visit to a certain half-breed."

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**A1969: all done for this chapter.**

**Inuyasha: finally. Took you guys long enough.**

**A1969: are you insulting us? Besides, MOTH and I worked hard on this chapter –pouts-**

**Kagome: ignore Inuyasha—it's been a long time since he's had any ramen, see.**

**A1969: quite understandable. Anyway, MOTH and I would like to thank those who read and those who reviewed. The reviews are quite appreciated—review please!**


	4. The Talk and The Encounter

**A1969: yay! We're trying to update regularly!**

**Inuyasha: did you have to tell everyone?**

**A1969: shut up, otherwise, I'll...hm...**

**Inuyasha: ha! Do your worst—you can't harm me, you're just a human!**

**A1969: oh yeah? Well, I'll, I'll...hm...I'll castrate you!**

**Inuyasha: huh? What the hell is that?**

**Kagome: seriously, Inuyasha, you don't know?**

**A1969: Kagome kindly explain. Anyway, thanks a million to those who bothered to read and review! Or did both!**

**Inuyasha: well, Kagome? Explain!  
Kagome: -blushes- eh...er...**

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
Chapter Four:  
-The Talk and The Ecounter-**

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: **

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: **  
**-Inuyasha-**

Stupid war gods.

Stupid Naraku—using minions left and right. I'll be surprised if he doesn't find a way to bring my old man back from the grave, and use him. Heh, if Sesshoumaru heard that one, he'd kill me. But still, it can't be helped...

Like Nicada. Ever since we ran into those phony gods, she's been silent—the mopey kinda silent, the kind I hate the most. What's up with her, anyways? She's so...emo (picked that up from Kagome; dunno what it really means, but she says that it means someone who's sad).

Not that I care, or anything. Keh! But that damn song she's murmuring is getting on my nerves. That song...I suddenly remember that it's the Song of Parting—the one those kids from Horai Island sang to themselves.

Nicada looks up at the sky, sitting away from us. We (and by 'we', I mean Kagome) decided to stop and rest (puny humans). Nicada's eyes are...hm...What's the look in those eyes? Can't read 'em, like the creep, Sesshoumaru's. But I guess it's sadness I see in her eyes...

Dammit.

I hate sadness.

Dunno know why.

I sighed, stood up, abandoning my ramen, and made my way over to her. I could feel the surprised eyes of Kagome and the others on my back.

"So," I said, standing behind her. She ignores me—predictable. "Will you stop, already?"

She looks back over her shoulder, up at me, glaring. "Half-breed," she mutters, but stops singing.

Huh?

This idiot actually stopped singing? You'd think she'd wanna irritate me more.

"Not the singing"—though, I actually meant that—"I mean your annoying moping. It's bugging me—quit it."

"If all you're going to do is insult me, half-breed, then leave me alone." Oh-ho! She's playing the damn half-breed card again, eh?

"Stop calling me that!" I snapped. "Technically, you're a half-breed yourself, half-breed."

"I still have more demon blood than you do, and at least my mother was not a human," she retorts.

I feel angry now. Of all the comebacks to make...!

"Don't you insult my mother!" I snarl, taking out Tessaiga.

"Did I, Inuyasha?" she says impassively.

Then, to my chagrin, the wench gets up and walks away. "Get back here!" I called. "Coward!"

"I've no reason to waste my time on useless fights," she says, walking into the forest.

Keh!

Dammit—she sounds like that blasted Sesshoumaru. I scoff and place Tessaiga in its sheath.

"Inuyasha, leave her alone," I hear Kagome call. She makes her way towards me. "She needs time to be alone, I think."

"Keh!"

She glares at me. "You are so callous!" she snaps.

"What?"

"I mean, she's obviously troubled, and wants time to _think_, and you bother her!" she fumes.

Dammit, I can sense a sit coming along.

"She didn't have to be so annoying!" I yell.

"She was sad!" Kagome snaps, glaring.

"It was annoying!"

"Oh?" She raises her eyebrows coolly at me. "And you don't think we're all annoyed when _you_ start moping about _Kikyou_?"

"Leave Kikyou outta this!" I snap.

She glares. "Sit!"

Dammit!

The next thing I know, the ground is in my face. Urgh—damn her. I could hear her walking away, in the same direction as Nicada.

"Where are you going, Kagome?" I hear Sango call out. I growl and stand up, ignoring the mud that clings to my face, dripping to my haori.

"To find Nicada," Kagome replies.

"Didn't you just say to leave her alone?" I retort, shouting after her retreating back.

"SIT!"

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
-Nicada-**

That half-breed....what was his problem? So I'm a little upset right now; not my fault the war gods decided to show up out of nowhere; and then he had to go and call me annoying, because I'm trying not to show any emotions, like Sesshoumaru practically showed me.

Emotions are useless and only get in the way, right....? But he became really angry only when I insulted his mother—his _human_ mother. He actually cared for her that much? A half-demon that cares for humans....

I really shouldn't have insulted him....

Heading deeper into the woods and as far away as I could get from hearing Inuyasha and Kagome's argument, I sat on one of the still-damp logs. I could apologize, but that could be risking things I didn't wish to bring up. Mama would want me to apologize—she would be very angry with me if she knew that I insulted someone so harshly...

"Nicada?" That voice—it was Kagome. What was she doing here?

I looked up, and that useless priestess of Inuyasha's is walking towards me. I hadn't even heard her approach.

"Nicada, are you alright?" she asks, genuine concern in her eyes. Huh...was she worried?

I scoffed and brushed off any bit of emotions that could have been seeping through. "I'm fine."

She blinks at me, probably wondering why I was snappy. Humans. "Well, I'm glad to hear that," she says as she carefully makes her way towards me. She stood in front of me. "I'm very sorry about Inuyasha—that's just how he is. He hates it when he sees people all emotional."

Somewhat like Sesshoumaru—not wanting to care about others, or did Inuyasha actually...? "Well, he should not have bothered me," I retorted.

She hesitated, and then she did something rather brave—she dares to sit beside me. "I'm very sorry about him," she says again, sitting beside me on the log, at one end. "I don't know why he can't stand seeing people so emotional! Sometimes I think that Sesshoumaru"—I glared at her—"_Lord_ Sesshoumaru being impassive is a good thing. I mean, if Lord Sesshoumaru was emotional, Inuyasha would probably hate him all the more!" I was aware that she was trying to make small talk.

I sigh. "Big Brother says emotions are useless."

"Maybe that's because he hasn't found someone he wants to be emotional with," she says, almost flatly. "Kinda like you."

Now I'm confused. What could she mean by such? "I don't understand..." I whisper and then become silent. I was showing emotions, which was wrong...wasn't it?

She blinked at me, as though surprised. "You don't understand?" she says, almost softly. "I mean...maybe the reason why you're both so...cold is because, well...you haven't found anyone to melt the ice...."

"Oh..." I guess what this priestess is saying is true. Once I had matured, I was hauled away from Big Brother to live with Grandmama. And dare I say it—she was colder than Big Brother.

"So..." She shook her head. "I don't think it's any of my business, really. I just came here to apologize on Inuyasha's behalf, seeing as he won't do that himself. He's very stubborn...like you and Sesshoumaru, actually..." Her voice trails off.

Was she comparing me to that half-breed?

I glare at her coldly. "Don't you ever compare me to him."

"I didn't mean to compare you to him," she mutters, looking down at her hands, which are folded on her lap. "I was only pointing out that stubbornness seems to run in your family." She looks at me. Her eyes are twinkling, as though she was about to laugh.

I pushed myself off the log, and glanced at her from over my shoulder. "If you wish to prove you are of any use to Inuyasha, I suggest you learn how to fletch arrows." I began walking away. I could feel her staring at me. As if I couldn't see the way she looked at that half-breed?

"Wait, Nicada!" I heard her call. She hopped off the log and dashed after me. Huh...How persistently annoying. "I didn't meant to insult your family....Truth be told, I was only trying to, well, to make you feel better about Inuyasha."

Feel better about that half-breed? I stopped and turned to look at her. "Your efforts did nothing." I continued walking and she persists on following me. What a nuisance

"Nicada, wait," she says again.

"What do you want?" I asked, annoyed. Couldn't I think in peace?

I stopped once again and waited for her continue. Why did she have to be so persistent?

"I was just worried about you, that's all." Huh...worried? This human girl? More than bemused, I was curious. "I mean," she went on. "Ever since we came across the War Gods, you've been...well, mopey."

"They only brought back memories I did not wish to remember again." I bite out and leave it at that. There was no need for a further explanation.

"Nicada, where are you going?" she asks, struggling to keep up with my pace. Humans—why can't they just leave me alone?

I sighed. "To be alone..." I walk away from her, walking at a pace faster then she can keep up with.

"Will you be going far?" Kagome asks. What's it to her, anyway?

I ignored her and kept going. Who was she to worry about me? Truth be told, even I did not know where I was going....I just needed to be away from everything...

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
-Murasaki-**

"Does your ankle still hurt, Murasaki-san?" Rin asked, walking beside the two-headed on which I sat.

I smiled at her and shook my head. "No," I lied, not wanting to trouble this selfless little girl. It had been a few hours since I started going with them. Rin told me to sit on the dragon, about which I was terrified. But she had managed to convince me that the dragon, Ah-Un, was harmless, and indeed he was.

I couldn't say the same thing for the little green youkai that walked a little ahead of us, though. Occasionally, Jaken would look back over his shoulder at me, glaring. It was then that I would squirm—small though he may be, that little youkai still looked menacing enough.

But it wasn't Jaken I worried about, no. It was that other demon, Sesshoumaru. He had not really spoken much ever since he asked me about Nicada, whom Jaken questioned him about, earning him a not-so-deserved bump on the head. I sighed as I looked up at the leafy canopy of the trees. Their shadow fell across us—they seemed ominous to me. The forest was still—there was no chirping of birds, no rustling of the wind. I pushed away the notion that, wherever the silent and stoic Sesshoumaru went, everything became hushed, as though awed by his presence.

I looked at Sesshoumaru's back, puzzled. He was walking ahead of us, farther away than Jaken. Why was it that a little girl like Rin would be in the presence of someone like him? It was a question that I didn't dare ask.

"Hey, girl!" the little imp, Jaken said. I looked down at him. "You better not be lying about this Lady Nicada person!"

I could hear Ah-Un snort beneath me. "Um, why would I lie about her?" I asked, blinking at him.

Jaken shrugged. "I don't know!" he said. I blinked at him. "But this wouldn't be the first time someone wished to use my lord to their advantage! You better not be working for Naraku!"

I shook my head. "I don't know anyone named Naraku," I said, tilting my head slightly at him.

"Then why was that War God after you?" he screeched.

"Master Jaken," Rin groaned, and even Ah-Un seemed to moan.

"I don't know," I said truthfully, trying to ignore the throb of my ankle. "I just ran into him, that's all."

"Ha!" Jaken said again. "Well, that's your story for now—but you better not make the mistake of using my lord! Otherwise, he'll—" He was cut off from his sentence when he inadvertently walked into a pair of white haori.

Sesshoumaru looked down at him from over his shoulder, glaring at the little imp. "Ah, my lord, forgive me!" Jaken said, immediately prostrating himself on the ground. "That human girl distracted me! She—!"

Whack!

"Enough," Sesshoumaru said, as he began walking away again, leaving Jaken with a lump the size of a chicken egg on his head. Note to self: be very wary around demons.

"Girl, you better not be lying!" Jaken said again, picking himself off the ground and walking beside Ah-Un and me.

"Master Jaken, Murasaki-san isn't lying," Rin defended. I looked at her and smiled in gratitude.

Jaken started grumbling as he walked beside us, keeping his distance from his cold lord. Silence fell on us then, a silence I didn't like—it was turning awkward.

"So, Rin," I said. "Why is it that a child like you travels with…Lord Sesshoumaru?" I was about to say 'demon', but thought better of it.

"Lord Sesshoumaru saved my life!" the little girl said, skipping beside me. "That, and Lord Sesshoumaru and Master Jaken are my family now."

I looked at her, blinking. "Family…?" Instead of feeling bemused at such a choice of family, I only felt longing for my own family—my mother, father, and my three boisterous brothers. If…they were my family at all…

"What about you, Murasaki-san?" Rin asked, snapping me out of my stupor. "Where's your family?"

"Er…I…" I hesitated, not really sure whether or not to tell her. "I…ran away."

She blinked at me. "Why?"

I shook my head. "I really don't know that myself…" My voice trailed off. But I would know—soon. I would get to Mt. Ozura and find the answers there. But first, we had to find Nicada and Inuyasha.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
-Inuyasha-**

Kagome comes out of the forest, looking all huffy again. "Well, did you find her?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes," she says curtly as she sits in our circle.

"Where is she, Kagome?" Sango asks, completely unaware of the hand that makes its way surreptitiously to her behind.

Kagome sighs, and glares at me. "She's gone somewhere to think _alone,_" she says, emphasizing the last word.

Why do I get the feeling that she's blaming for this somehow? "Keh!" I say, folding my arms across my chest. "If she's not back in time, we're leaving her!"

"No," Kagome says. The way the sunlight fell on her, and the way the wind made her hair blow seemed ominous to me somehow. "We're not leaving until you go talk to her and apologize yourself."

"What?!" I say, standing up and looking down at her.

"You heard Kagome, Inuyasha," Shippou says. He's sitting beside Sango, across from me, so it wouldn't be easy to hit him.

"I haven't done anything to that wench!" I protest, raising my voice.

Kagome looks up at me coolly. "As if you didn't," she says. "Just go look for her and apologize, please? For me?"

"No way in hell!" I roar. "I haven't done anything wrong, and you all know it!" I look at Miroku and Sango, daring them to contradict me.

"Just go look for her, Inuyasha," Kagome says, a new edge to her voice.

"Why should I?"

"She's your sister!"

"She ain't my sister!"

"Well, earth to you, but in case you haven't noticed—it's pretty obvious she _is_ your sister!"

"That's true," Sango mutters. "You all have the same tempe—Miroku!" A second later, Sango's hand flies to Miroku's cheek, leaving a red handprint there.

"Ahem, yes, Inuyasha," Miroku agrees, folding his arms as though nothing happened. "Kagome is right—it's best if you look for Lady Nicada."

"Keh!"

"Or maybe," Kagome says, a mock-thoughtful tone in her voice. "You're jealous that she's your sister? Maybe that's why you treat her so roughly?"

What the hell? "_Jealous_?" I say. "Of _her_? Hah! There's nothing to be jealous about!"

"Maybe you're jealous of the fact that Sesshoumaru doesn't seem to hate her as much as he hates you," she says, raising her eyebrows at me.

_What the hell?_ "So, what if Sesshoumaru doesn't seem to hate her?" I scoff. "What's it to me?"

Kagome rolls her eyes. "Then prove you're not jealous, and go find her," she says.

Ha! I've known her long enough to know when she's being manipulative! "No way!" I snap.

"Inuyasha…"

"I ain't looking for her, got it?" I say obstinately.

"…sit."

Shoot! A second later, I can feel my face plowing into the ground. Dammit—I feel as though I've just hit a wall head-on. Damn her.

"What the hell, Kagome?" I ask, lifting my face off the earth to glare at her.

"Look for her," she says, a threat in her eyes.

Dammit—she's planning to abuse the power of the Beads of Subjugation! Curse that old hag, Kaede!

"Fine!" I roar, standing up, and turning my back on her. "I'm goin', I'm goin'!"

"Good!" Kagome calls as I walk away, towards the shadow of the forest. "Oh, and could you please look for some mushrooms for me?"

"Keh!" Definitely abusing.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I pick up Nicada's scent just as I walk through the trees. The forest is surprisingly light—there weren't many shadows here. The wind rustled softly in the treetops, the sound comforting. I can hear birds chirping in the treetops, ants marching on the ground, and, several miles away, a herd of deer grazing by a stream. It was to this stream that Nicada's scent led to. Not that I needed her scent—she was singing again, her voice carrying over to me.

Damn Kagome. I sigh and run past the trees, wondering how to get Nicada to come back with me. As I approach the stream where she was, I could hear the words of her song, the Song of Parting again.

"_Father once said to me  
Many moons ago  
A demon's hand will defend  
Mother said one day  
There is more that you must know  
A mortal's hand will sustain._"

Keh!

She doesn't even realize that I'm hiding behind the trees? And she calls me a half-breed!

"Stop hiding, I could hear you coming," she says harshly, turning to where I'm hiding.

Guess I spoke too soon. "Will you shut your whining, and come on, already?" I say, stepping out of the shadow of the trees. Nicada sits on a rock near the stream, her eyes fixed on the water.

"I am sorry I insulted you and your mother," she says grudgingly. I look back at her. What the hell was she apologizing for all of a sudden?

"Are you sick, or somethin'?" I ask, keeping my distance from her. "Keh! As if I need your apology!" Though, I'm surprised—but minutely pleased—that she apologized for insulting my mother.

"Fine," she growls, "don't accept it."

"Keh!" I'll accept—for mother's sake. But I wasn't about to tell her that. "Whatever," I snap. "Now, could ya get off your lazy butt, and come back already? We're leaving now, and if you don't get off that rock, we're leaving without you!"

"You came after me, because your human mate begged you too?" she asks, still not moving from that damned rock.

"She ain't my mate!" I roar, feeling—dammit—a slight tinge creeping across my cheeks.

"Really? Then why are you blushing?" she taunts, still not moving. Damn her!

"I ain't blushin'!" I snarl, taking several steps closer to her, and glaring. Heh, at a time like this, something idiotic just came into my mind—Sesshoumaru's lucky to have those damned facial markings.

"You love her, it's written all over your face." She smirks again and moves off the rock, getting more distance between us.

"L-love her?!" I shout, taking more steps towards her. "As if I could love someone so...heinously abusive!" Those sits were still pretty much on my mind.

"She has feelings for you, I can see it so easily. Or are you too blinded by another to notice?" she backs up again, and I take several steps towards her.

"What are you planning on doing?" she says hesitantly, turning on her heel to bolt.

I glare at her and, in the blink of an eye, I jump into the air, and land in front of her. "Get away from me!" she snaps, her hand going to her sword. Oh, no you don't. Before she could even blink, I grab her around the waist, and throw her over my shoulder.

"Put me down!" she snarls, trying to squirm loose.

"Aw, quit complaining," I snap as I walk back into the forest. I can feel her flailing against me, her arms hitting me occasionally on the head. Ha! As if a bonk on the head could bother me.

"This is more degrading then when you were sniffing me," she says, her attempts to escape coming to a halt.

"Whatever," I mutter as I increase my pace. The shadows of the trees fell across us, like dark arms stretching out towards me and the idiot I had slung over my shoulder. Silence fell on us both and, for a time, it nearly got awkward. I wanted to run, to be out of the forest as soon as possible, but something told me I'd better not.

"Hey," I say to Nicada.

"What?" she grumbles. Keh, she didn't like being hoisted over my shoulder, eh?

"You're not lying about being related to Sesshoumaru, are you?" I say. Huh? This question surprised me.

"I'm not lying about being related to Big Brother," she replies in a matter-of-fact tone.

I frown, though she can't see me. I take it the only thing she can see is the ground behind my back. "The old man was a busy guy, then," I mutter, disappointed that my old man was..._busy_. It was bad enough that my mother was—admittedly—his mistress. It's even bad enough to know that he had more than one.

Nicada noticed the tone in my voice. "Papa left my Mama to save yours...He cared about you," she says softly. Was she trying to make me feel better?

"Keh!" I snap. "So what? He was still busy, if you ask me." The shadows on the ground are lightening. We're nearly out of the forest, then. Indeed, I could hear Kagome's voice from here.

She sighs, sounding slightly defeated at her attempt to make me feel better. "At least you weren't unintentional," she says, somewhat ruefully. Huh?

"Whaddya mean?" I ask.

"Never mind." She sighs again, becoming silent.

"Keh, suit yourself," I say. I see a break through the trees, and a tiny line of light between the trunks, announcing that we had come to the edge of the forest. I didn't bother to say anymore as we stepped through the gap in the trees, and into the bright light.

Kagome and the others were waiting for us. As usual, my first gaze was for Kagome, who, at the sight of seeing Nicada slung like a potato sack over my shoulder, looked shocked.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing with Nicada?" she demands. The others all looked shocked and amused.

"You can put me down now, half-breed," Nicada mutters.

Playing the half-breed card again, huh? I dropped her unceremoniously on the ground. "Hey!" she snarls, looking up at me, glaring.

"Keh!" I snap.

She stood up and dusted herself off. "You didn't have to drop me."

"Whatever," I mutter, walking past her, past Kagome and Shippo, past Miroku and Sango. "Come on, you lot!" I holler over my shoulder. "Let's get going, already!"

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
****-Nicada-**

I snarl a little out of annoyance. We had only been travelling for a couple hours, and already we had stopped in the nearest village. Humans are such weak and pathetic creatures... But the question was where were we staying? Surely, the humans did not carry money with them everywhere?

Kagome looks at me, an apologetic look in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. "I know you want to look for Sesshoumaru"—I glared at her—"Lord Sesshoumaru..."

I nod, still wondering where we were staying. Inuyasha suddenly turns to Miroku, whose gaze is fixed on one of the best mansions in the village.

He wasn't going to lie to get us in there, was he?

"There are evil omens hovering over that manor," the monk says in a pious voice.

I look at him, raising an eyebrow. Kagome grins sheepishly at me. "Sorry," she says. "Er...finding 'evil omens' is Miroku's specialty."

I scoff and turn away from the monk in disgust. "Lies, I can't sense any demonic aura, just the reek of frightened humans..." I mutter low enough so she cannot hear.

"Nicada, come on!" Kagome calls out. I glance at them from over my shoulder, just as they are making their way towards the village, the village where humans frolicked, where humans were rambunctiously going about their lives...

"I'm coming!" Nuisance. I sigh and rush after them. This all seemed so pointless. Perhaps I should go look for Big Brother on my own?

"Don't worry," Kagome reassures, as we make our way through the sprawling village. Children and women glanced at us warily, their eyes fixed on both Inuyasha and me. "We'll leave early the next morning, and look for Lord Sesshoumaru."

I nodded, glad that she was using the title this time. "Good," I say, warily looking at the human mothers trying to keep their children away from us.

I look down, feeling a tug on my kimono, and there's a little human girl tugging at the fabric. "Mommy, they have puppy ears!" I roll my eyes and start walking away but the human pup starts trailing me. "Get away from those demons!" the mother cries in panic. Fantastic...

I stop abruptly and the child hits the back of my legs. I round on her and she only smiles at me. "What do you want?" I growl.

"Can I touch your ears?" she asks innocently, as her mother comes towards us, about to grab her away from me.

"Will you leave me alone?" I question and she nods, still smiling.

By now, the villagers have stopped whatever it is they were doing, and looked at us. I became aware of Kagome and the others looking at me.

"Alright." I sigh and, she giggles excitedly as I crouch down to her level. She starts rubbing my ears, her eyes widening in delight as they twitch slightly. That only makes her giggle more and then she backs away, running back to her mother, who snatches her up, and glares darkly at me.

"Stay away from them, Cho, they're evil," she says, her voice tight.

"That's neither fair, nor true," I hear Kagome mutter.

The little girl looks up at her mother. "She's not evil, Mommy!" Wait...she was defending me?

"They aren't," Kagome agrees, smiling, as she looks at the mother and daughter. The mother continues to stare warily at us, but the little girl's eyes are bright as she looks at me.

"Keh!" Inuyasha suddenly says. "Let's go, you lot."

"They may not be evil," Miroku suddenly says in a loud voice, his eyes fixed on the manor just a few huts away from where we were. "But the omens hanging around that manor—now, those are evil!"

I glare over at the monk. He was supposed to be holy? But the look that Kagome was giving me was one that practically begged me not to rat the idiot out.

"Evil omens over Lord Shirakawa's home?" several villages murmur among themselves. Some looked troubled, others looked disbelieving. Over head, the sky was now a startling shade of orange, heralding the coming sunset.

As we headed up the stairs of the manor, the monk began to chant some type of cleansing spell and putting sutras on the door. He smiled in triumph, saying to the wealthy and balding human man who came up to him, "Your house has been rid of the evils that were surrounding it."

"Thank you so much, monk," the man says. Sucker. "No wonder my daughter has felt ill as of late."

"Father?" a gentle voice says, coming from the other end of the veranda. We looked up to see the lord's daughter looking at us. She was beautiful, I'll give her that much.

"Oh, and I take it this is your daughter?" Miroku says, his eyes brightening. Sango gives him an annoyed look, her hand resting on that monster boomerang of hers.

"Yes, this is my Yui," the man says, nodding his head. "Yui, these kind travellers have exorcised the manor—maybe you'll feel better now, daughter."

The girl nodded. True, she was pale, but that pale complexion only made her more beautiful. The monk grabbed the daughter's hands in his and began to say something I wish I hadn't heard. "Will you bear my...?" But before he can get the last word out, Sango's boomerang collides with his head and the poor girl looks at the monk, appalled.

To my surprise, the girl giggles. "Oh monk, you jest!" she says, turning on her heel and walking back towards the manor, where her attendants waited.

I glare over at the monk, who is rubbing the bump on the back of his head. "You disgust me."

Kagome and the others looked at me. "Get used to it," Inuyasha says.

"I may not be able to offer you my daughter," the lord says, sounding apologetic instead of insulted. "But, at least, allow me to offer you accommodations for the night."

"We shall be very glad to accept," Miroku says virtuously.

I edge closer to the half-demon, keeping my distance from the lecher. "Keh," Inuyasha says, inching away from me. He suddenly lowers his voice. "If Miroku tries anything on you tonight, don't hesitate to hit him—I'm sure you won't be as hard on him as Sango."

"Are you calling me weak?" I snarl low in reply.

He scoffs. "I don't need to," he says.

Why, he...!

I snarl louder, glaring at him. "You're acting just like _him_! I am not weak!"

"Him?" he asks. Ha! If I was weak, he was oblivious!

"Big Brother..." I mutter and shove him into the wall a little, walking past him.

"WHAT?!" Inuyasha roars, making everyone turn their heads to us. "You take it back, Nicada! I do not act like that creep!" I ignore him and stand resolutely beside Kagome.

"Of course you do," Kagome says. "The only difference between you two is that Se...Lord Sesshoumaru hardly talks."

"WHAT?!" Inuyasha roars.

"Come on, guys," Miroku says in a low voice.

"You two do act alike....you're not as cold though..." I say softly.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha roars as we make our way into the mansion.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome calls. "Shut up, and get in here!"

I could feel my ears drooping against my head, as I thought about Big Brother. Maybe Inuyasha was as cold...? I hang back as the rest of the group head inside.

"Nicada?" Kagome calls again. I blink. They were all standing on the veranda. Waiting for me, I realized. "Come on!"

I shake off the emotions that were stirring and head inside.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
-Inuyasha-**

The moon is a waxing crescent.

I look up at the moon. I'm sitting on the veranda, alone, my eyes fixed on the moon. Kagome and the others are asleep in the room the lord of the place gave us. The wind blows softly through the trees, making shadows dance here and there. The moonlight is weak and dim, but falsl on the trees, making them seem ethereal.

I sigh.

I didn't know what was bugging me lately—sure, it had something to do with Nicada, but what? And then, it hit me.

The fact that she could be my half-sister.

I felt a strange sensation, then—anger, disbelief, and...sadness. I mean, it was hard enough knowing—at a young age, mind—that my mother was merely the mistress of my father. It was bad enough to know that my father had another woman on the side...

Was that why Sesshoumaru hated me? Wait, that wasn't it—if he hated me for my human mother, then what about Nicada? The way she spoke of that creep, it was as though they both got along great...It was unfair that he didn't seem to hate her, but hated me.

Not that I care or anything.

Keh! He can hate me all he wants.

The door to the room behind me suddenly slides open, and Nicada's scent hits me. "Whaddya want?" I asked, not looking back at her.

"I could not sleep," was her response.

"You're a demon—you're not supposed to sleep," I say, rolling my eyes. To my surprise, she sits down beside me, her eyes focused on the moon.

"It's not that we aren't supposed to, it's just that we don't need to sleep as much," she says, not looking at me. She continues gazing at the moon. "It looks like the mark on Big Brother's forehead."

I could feel my eyebrow twitching as I turn to stare at her. "Do you hero-worship him or something?" I ask, feeling nauseated.

"Sesshoumaru just tolerates me. And far as I'm concerned, that means he kinda likes me...I guess..." she answers.

Kinda likes her, huh? "Keh!" I say. "Sesshoumaru hates everyone...particularly those with human blood. After all—my human mother was the cause of our busy old man's death." I pause. "What I don't get is why he doesn't seem to hate you as much as he hates me—your mother was the old man's mistress, too."

She frowns a little, her ears drooping. "I was an accident..."

I stare at her, my eyes wide with shock. "An accident...?"

She nods. "I wasn't supposed to be born...after all, Papa didn't stay with Mama, and he rushed off to save you and your mother."

"What?!" I ask, confused. "But, still—he bedded your mother!" I realize that I sounded angry.

Nicada flinched at that. "It wasn't supposed to happen..."

"Whaddya mean?"

"I don't know how to explain it..." she whispers. "Papa didn't…love Mama in that way at all—his heart belonged to Lady Izayoi, and…Lady Takara…"

"Takara?"

"Big Brother's mother."

I sighed. There was that sad look in her eyes again. "Whatever," I say, feeling…piteous. "If you don't wanna explain further, then don't. I'm not making you." To my surprise, she smiles slightly at me. Was she sick or something?

"Do you hate me, too?" she asks suddenly, knowing full well by now that I despise the creep.

I stared at her, shocked. I was even more shocked by my answer...

"Nah, I don't," I say. "I just think you're annoying."

"I don't hate you either," she continues, looking at the moon again.

I stared at her for a second. Strange—we actually talked without yelling.

It was a start.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
-Ryura-**

It's her.

It's little Yamie.

Heh, I thought she was dead.

From my position in the trees that surrounded the lord's mansion, I could make out that half-breed Inuhyasha, and little Yamie. Heh, what're they so engrossed in, I wonder? They can't even detect me, hidden just a few yards away, in the shadows...

Heh, little Yamie isn't so little anymore. She's grown quite a bit, I'll give her that much. She reminds of her mother. As I continue to watch, Inuyasha suddenly stiffens, and his eyes scan the darkness. Heh, he wasn't as dimwitted as I thought.

"There's someone here," the half-breed says, standing up. Even from this distance, I can see his ears twitching, listening for any sound. I let out a chuckle, and Inuyasha turns his gaze to my hiding place. Come and get me, half-breed.

"What is it?" little Yamie demands, standing up. Both of their hands rest on the hilts of their swords. Heh, the two puppies, fighting side by side, eh?

"Show yourself!" Inuyasha roars, looking at my hiding place.

Heh.

The door to the room behind them suddenly slides open, and his companions all rush out, alert and tense. Heh, nothing like a good dose of fear to make the killing more enjoyable.

"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha shouts, blasting his attack in my direction. Here we go.

I jump out of the trees, just as the Wind Scar blasts beneath me, destroying a good part of the garden and felling nearly all the trees to the ground. The trees groaned as they fell.

I landed several yards in front of Inuyasha and his friends, smirking at them.

"YOU!" Inuyasha roars. They all look shocked. No surprises there.

I smirk at them, both my fists on my waist. "Yo," I say. "Long time no see, Inuyasha." I turned my gaze to the girl standing next to him. "Hey there, little Yamie."

Yamie was looking at me as though she saw a ghost. "N-no," she says, backing away.

"Nicada, what's wrong?" that priestess—Kagome, I recall—asks.

Little Yamie does not answer. She looks as though she's seen a ghost which, in this case, she probably has. Inuyasha's glare is fixed on me, his eyes filled with hate. Yes, hate me, Inuyasha.

"Why are you alive?" Ah, it was the monk—memories.

I tapped my forehead. "Let's see..." I say in a mock-thoughtful voice.

"Inuyasha, a shikon shard in his forehead!" Kagome says.

Inuyasha jumps from the veranda and lands in front of me, growling. "You bastard," he snarls. "You're working for Naraku!"

I pretend to sigh. "'Working' is such a degrading term," I say as I take out my two swords. "You should know by now, Inuyasha, the Four War Gods _never_ work for anyone!"

I crossed my two swords. This should be fun. But before I could even throw an attack, the pesky humans in the house start stirring. Some rush out towards the garden, yelling their hearts out.

"What the hell?!" the humans shout. Pathetic.

"The garden!"

"What's going on here?!"

"Monk, what is the meaning of this?!"

I sighed. There went my fun. "Guess I'll see you around, Inuyasha," I said, looking at Inuyasha with a smirk. "

Yamie is still staring at me, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. Good. She was still afraid of me. I smirk at them as I turn my back and walk away.

"Get back here, you coward!" I hear Inuyasha yell, rage in his voice.

I raise my hand as I walk away. "I'll see you again, soon enough," I say as I walk into the shadows.

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**

**A1969: there you go—chapter four.  
Inuyasha: you still haven't explained what 'castrate' means.  
A1969: -sigh- ask Kagome, won't you?  
Kagome: eh…  
A1969: anyway, MOTH and I would like to thank those who read, reviewed…you get the whole picture. Don't forget to review, please!**


	5. The Past

**A1969: it's been forever since I updated this thing.**

**Kagome: thing?**

**A1969: story! I'm really sorry—busy, busy, busy!**

**Inuyasha: whatever—you don't have to tell them that. They know already.**

**A1969: whatever. Anyway, thank you all for the reviews...and the patience! Oh, and my co-author, Maiden of the Heavens would also like to thank you!**

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
Chapter Five:**

**-The Past-**

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

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**-Sesshoumaru-**

Yamie...

I had no desire to think of her. I cared for her simply because Father wished it, and I merely fulfilled his wishes. However, the fact that Yamie was—according to the human girl—searching for me, was queer.

For what purpose would she seek me out? Neither she, nor I had business with one another, and I could not fathom an appropriate reason for her to come to me.

According to the young human woman, Murasaki, she had appeared dishevelled when that half-breed, Inuyasha, inadvertently rescued her from demons.

Yamie, needing rescue from mere minor demons? Was this the same Yamie I had unwillingly reared?

I had fashioned her after me, but it was not surprising that she would need help every now and then—after all, her needing succour was inevitable, given the small amount of human blood she had.

Still, only one question brushed the surface of my thoughts as I continued walking through the trees—was Yamie in trouble?

The fact that Inuyasha of all people had to aid her seemed to prove that she was. Yamie, are you so weak that you would need the assistance of a mere half-demon? I had taught her to be stronger than this. I had taught her since I first brought her back with me from Horai Island...

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

The small hand tugged on my sleeve again. I stared down at the little demoness standing beside me, her eyes wide with uncertainty. She skipped in order to keep up with my pace, her feet making soft thudding noises against the rocky forest floor.

"What?" I asked, not looking down at her, keeping my eyes on the path ahead.

"Where are we going, Big Brother?" she asked.

"You'll know when we get here," I replied.

"But when will we get there?" she persists, still tugging on my sleeve.

"When we get there," I said.

"You're being vague, Big Brother," she pointed out.

I glance at her briefly, then avert my gaze elsewhere. How tenacious she was. "Yamie, be silent."

She ignores me and continues with her questioning. "How far away is it?"

"Yamie, do you know our destination?" I asked insouciantly.

"Your home in the west," she answers looking up at me. "Right?"

"If you knew the destination, why did you bother asking?"

"I was just making sure."

"Hn..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We arrived sooner than expected. The armor-clad guards all knelt prostrate on the ground before me as Yamie and I entered the palace gates. Their heads were bowed, but—unfortunately for them—I could see several demons looking up surreptitiously to see who I had brought with me. I shall deal with them later.

The guards had cleared a path for me, a path that led to the steps of the veranda on which stood a woman, looking imperiously at me, her eyebrows raised expectantly.

Welcome home, my son," she said as I made my way towards her. I could feel Yamie hiding behind me, clutching onto my sleeves again. Secretly, I was amused.

"Mother," I said as I stopped in front of her.

Her golden gaze raked me from head to foot. Though she would never admit it, my well-being was her first priority the moment I returned to her palace for one of my perfunctory visits.

"I see you've brought home a stray," she said, her sharp eyes going to the little girl who hid behind me. I was no fool—Mother was not comfortable with having an accidental child of Father's living here.

I stepped aside to reveal Yamie, who stood behind me with wide, startled eyes. "Nicada," I announced. "I call her Yamie."

"Yamie?" she said, raising an eyebrow at the little girl. "Is that what he really calls you, little one?"

Yamie only nodded at Mother's question. "And, how old are you?" Mother asks, her cold eyes intent.

"Eight," she repiles softly, averting her gaze from Mother's.

"Eight!" Mother says, feigning disbelief. "Why, you're nearly a young woman, aren't you?" She does not wait for Nicada to answer, instead she plows on. "And...what happened to your mother?" I knew Mother could be a merciless woman, but _that_ merciless? Or was she merely curious?

I could smell the scent of salt—tears forming at the corner of Yamie's eyes. I inwardly sighed. Why must Mother be so tactless? What a bother.

"That question does not concern you, Mother," I said in my most reverent tone.

She raised her eyebrows at me. "Are you talking back to your mother, young man?" she asked.

"Forgive me, Mother," I said perfunctorily.

She nodded infinitesimally. "Well, judging from the girl's reaction, her mother must be pushing daisies," she mused. Yamie looked at me, baffled by the reference to flowers.

"Yes," I said, not returning Yamie's gaze

"Mama wouldn't be pushing up daises. She would be turned into a firefly," Yamie answers, tears starting to slip from her eyes.

Mother looks at me, her eyebrows raised. "Fireflies?" she asked. I only nodded at her. "Well, Sesshoumaru, it seems that you have a lot of explaining to do."

I only nodded. I did not relish explaining things.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The moon looked serene.

I could not say the same thing for Yamie.

Night had fallen, and the girl was in her room, several chambers away from mine. I rarely slept. Instead, with nothing better to do, I spent most my nights sitting at the veranda, gazing up at the moon, letting my thoughts wander...

The wind blows softly through the trees, making shadows dance across the ground. Everything was made ethereal by the light of the moon. I secretly preferred the stillness of night to the bustling of the morning.

As the wind blew, it brought a familiar scent with it—Yamie. I looked up and, sure enough, she is standing at the end of the veranda, her eyes fixed on me. I ignored her and turned my gaze to the sky again.

She tugs on my sleeves, trying to get my attention. "Big brother?"

I turned my gaze to her. Her eyes are brimming with unshed tears. How unsightly.

"I miss Mama, big brother...."

I, Sesshoumaru, had been brought up to be many things—a lord, a warrior, a leader, a conqueror. But I had not been brought up to be a _comforter_. "Don't think of her," I said, turning my gaze back to the moon

"Why can't I?" she asks, sniffling a little.

Emotions—they are useless. "Because you will miss her."

"Aren't you supposed to miss someone when they die? Don't you miss Papa?"

This time I turned my gaze to her. No one, not even Mother, dared to speak to me in such a blatant manner. "No."

"Why not?" she asks. Persistent child.

"Because it is a waste of time." I looked away, back at the moon.

She becomes silent then, or at least for a few moments. "What was Papa like?"

I let out a small breath. "Powerful."

"Mama didn't really talk about him..."

At the mention of her mother, the prominent scent of salt began to fill the area. "No, she wouldn't." After all—Yamie was not an intentional child. She was one of those unfortunate accidents brought into the world all because Father had been disillusioned when he bedded the girl's mother.

"Papa didn't love Mama did he?" She wipes her unshed tears onto her kimono.

Clever girl. "No."

"Why didn't he?"

How should I know? "Father favored another," I said. I was surprised at how...minutely bitter I suddenly felt.

"Oh...who was it?"

"She," I corrected, "was a human." I preferred not to think of _her._

"What did Papa look like?"

"If you wish to know what Father looked like," I began, "look at his son."

"So you look like Papa?"

"Perhaps." I was once proud of that fact—that is, until Father sired two half-breeds.

"Okay." She seemed satisfied with the answer.

She was silent again, merely sitting beside me. "Yamie, why are you awake?" I preferred to be alone at night, not in the company of others.

"I can't sleep."

Predictable. I did not wish to ask, but I wanted her to leave me be. "Why?"

"This place is scary..." she answers.

To a child, it could be—especially if Mother was around. "What frightens you?"

"The other demons keep giving me mean looks..."

I felt annoyed. No one other than me had the right to look down on those in whose veins ran Father's blood. "Who?"

"All of them...your mother did..."

Mother may have agreed, albeit reluctantly, to let the girl stay here, with me, but she did not guarantee that she would take to her. After all, Yamie was the accidental child of Father, and it was only natural that she would be grudging. However, other demons did not have the same excuse. "Mother has her reasons," I said. "Other than her, who?"

"One of the servants." She shrugged.

Oh? "There are many."

"It doesn't matter, big brother. I should just ignore them right?"

I ignored her. "Describe them," I ordered. I would not have anyone other than I insult my Father's blood.

"She had a kitsune tail."

I could feel my claws flexing instinctively. "That is all," I said. "Go to bed."

"Will you tuck me in?"

I very nearly raised my eyebrows at her. "No."

Her ears drooped in disappointment. "Okay." She began walking down the veranda to her chamber.

"Yamie."

She stopped and glanced at me over her shoulder. "Big Brother?"

"Do not allow others to look down on Father's lineage, understood?"

She nodded, "Okay, big brother."

I could hear the patter of feet against the floor, as she ran back to me, and before I knew it, she had planted a kiss to my cheek. "I love you, big brother." She ran off to her bedchamber.

I blinked, pushing the shock from my being. When I was still a child, only Mother dared to approach me in such a way, and I resented it even then. Hn...

How annoying.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Yamie, are you wielding a sword, or a club?" I asked early the next morning.

She gave me a confused expression. "I have Mama's sword."

I inwardly sighed. No, she was not clever--she was dense, not even hearing the rhetorical tone in my voice. "I am aware," I said. "But with the way you hold, you might as well be wielding a bludgeon."

"Oh..."

Why was I even wasting my time fulfilling Father's wish, and teaching this girl? I had better things to do--like hunting down the half-breed, Inuyasha.

"Yamie, have you no knowledge on the way of the sword?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

She shook her head, "No. I know the fighting Mama taught me and how to use a bow."

A bow was for cowards. And as to the fighting style taught to her by her mother...

"Show me."

"But I could hurt you..."

I actually smiled. "As if a mere child like you could lay a finger on me," I scoffed.

Yamie looks at me, still hesitant. "Why are you waiting for, Yamie?" I asked.

"Mama said the fighting style is supposed to be a secret." she replies.

"Secret?" I scoffed. Was this style of mere martial arts that important? I think not. I sheathed my katana and stared at her, my eyes cold. "Rest assured, Yamie, I have no intention of wasting my time revealing the secrets of a petty fighting style."

"It's not petty." She glared.

"Then show me."

Yamie looks hesitant at first, but then she looked determined. "All right, Big Brother," she said. She suddenly places one foot in front of the other, her knees slightly bent. She extended her left hand towards me, palms out, while she brings her right hand back. Hn. Was this the stance of her so-called fighting style? Petty.

She suddenly rushes at me, aiming for my stomach. I easily step to the side. Pathetic. She continues to attack, and I continue to avade. If this is all she going to give in effort then why continue?

Cassie is typing a message.

Yamie becomes airborne slightly and aims for my face, the side of her hand grazing my cheek slightly as I dodge at the last second. She lands behind me, out of breath, that determined look never leaving her eyes as she gets back into her fighting style, ready to try again. Stubborn child.

"Very well, Yamie," I said, smirking at the serious look on her little face. "If you wish to battle, then so be it."

I rushed at her, my palm held out, imitating her style. Yamie gasps and sidesteps just as I rushed past her. Her elbow suddenly plunged towards my back. I spin in mid run and knock her arm aside with my palm, amused at her persistence. Her other arm suddenly shot out, towards my face again. I knocked that arm aside with my other arm, this time, exerting more pressure than was necessary.

Yamie gasps as my index and middle finger hit a pressure point on her arm. She staggered backward, her eyes wide with shock. I straightened and looked at her. Her arm hung limply at her side. Idiot.

"Show me your arm," I ordered, making my way towards her.

As soon as I reached her, however, her other hand shoots out and comes into contact with my chest armor. My eyes widened slightly as the armor started to crack, and eventually fall to the ground with a dull clatter. Audacious girl.

She smiled at me, triumphant. "How was that big brother?"

"Underhanded," I said, secretly amused.

She only smiles more and then her ears droop. "Sorry big brother."

I only raised an eyebrow at her, preferring silence. "Show me your arm," I said again. She obeys without anymore underhanded attempts. Using her left hand, she deftly rolled up the sleeve of her right arm. I was harsher than I thought. Her right arm was covered in bruises and red spots. I only nodded. "Go to the infirmary," I said, turning my back on her.

She simply nods and rushes inside, nearly colliding into Mother.

"Do watch where you're going," Mother said, raising her eyebrows at the child. Yamie blinks up at her, fear and surprise in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said hastily.

For a moment, Mother's eyes lingered on her injured and limp arm, then she nodded. "Go on, then," she said imperiously. Yamie ran back inside, and Mother's gaze turns to me.

"So, Sesshoumaru," she said, making her way towards me. Her eyes dart to the pile of crumbled armor on the ground beside me. She looked amused. "Has a little girl bested you then, my son?

I scoffed. "Only through her trickery," I pointed out.

She continued to smile, amused. "Were you so gullible as to fall for it, then?"

She knew how to taunt. "She was injured," I said.

She gives me one of her rare, and silvery laughs. "Were you, of all people, concerned?" she sneered.

"No."

"Don't let a girl turn your head, Sesshoumaru," she taunted as she turned on her heel and walked away. "Especially not your little sister."

I stared at her retreating back. I would never allow a woman to 'turn my head' as Mother put it. I did not wish to be as weak as Father.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was thus that Yamie spent her days—wasting my time.

I trained her, basically, I reared her. Mother often taunted me about it, saying what a wonderful father I would be when the time I came. I had scoffed at that. I had no intention of finding a mate, and as to an heir...Hn, demons were immortal. Demons of my kind only died when killed, and I was certain no one would be strong enough to best me.

Eight summers after Yamie came under my care, her redoubtable grandmother came to the palace to take her.

The day was sultry, and, once again, we were training. Yamie had grown in the last eight years. She suddenly stopped moving, and sheathed her sword, her eyes widening in surprise. At the same time, I felt an unfamiliar presence in the garden with us.

I glanced over my shoulder, at the trees from whence came the unfamiliar demonic aura. "Show yourself," I ordered, my hand on the hilt of my blade.

A demoness stepped out from behind the shadows of the tree. Sky blue hair rippled past her shoulders, her amethyst colored eyes as cold as ice. "So this is where you have been hiding my granddaughter." Even her voice was cold.

I raised an eyebrow contemptuously at her. "I never hid her," I said coldly. "You were merely ignorant of her whereabouts."

"I never thought that the eldest son and only pureblood of Inutaisho would take a mere half-breed into his care."

I raised an eyebrow at her. Was this woman hoping to perturb me? "Oh?" I said. "I assure you, caring for a half-breed from your family is not to my taste."

"Then why did you? Certainly, you would have just simply killed her," she replied.

I became aware of Yamie looking at me with wide eyes. I scoffed. "Indeed," I said. "However, I have given my word to protect her, something that you are incapable of."

She growled low. Had I struck a nerve? "She is better off with living with her kin. You have only corrupted her. Just like your father did to Ame-Kohana."

Oh? I could feel my claws twitching slightly. "Your so-called daughter was the one who corrupted my Father," I hissed. From the peripheral of my vision, I could see Yamie looking at me with a queer look in her eyes. "And as to me corrupting your granddaughter—you should be thankful. The weakness of your clan has been nearly abolished."

"Weakness?" She merely shook her head. "There wouldn't be, if only you had killed her."

Yamie's eyes widened in shock and betrayal. I turned to her and drew out my katana, my eyes narrowed at her. I glanced at the presumptuous demoness from over my shoulder. "Well, shall I eliminate the stain from your clan, then?"

"Do as you see fit. I can see from here that she would bring disgrace to my clan."

"Grandmamma?" Yamie said softly, her eyes wide. She looked at me. "Big Brother?"

I swiftly closed the gap between us, and pressed the tip of my sword to her throat. I glanced at the demoness from over my shoulder. She showed no remorse, nor shame. To her, her only granddaughter was nothing but a stain she wanted removed.

I raised an eyebrow at her and, before she could stop me, I plunged the sword into Yamie's throat, and slashed all the way down to her chest. Her eyes widened in shock. "Big...Big Brother?!" she gasped, to which I paid no mind. I glanced swiftly over my shoulder, at the impassive demoness. I inwardly smirked. Her eyes had widened slightly in surprise, but she immediately schooled her expression.

Yami stumbled backwards, her eyes wide...but then she blinked. Realization dawned on her. She looked down at her throat—there was neither blood nor wound. She looked at me, visibly enraged. "You baka!" she shrieked. "You used Tenseiga! I thought you were going to kill me!"

The demoness behind me simply raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly out of amusement. "Clever child."

I scoffed and sheathed my Tenseiga. "Clean your own stain," I said coldly, not looking at Nicada's grandmother.

She shrugged. "Soon enough it'll be done," she replied and glanced at Yamie with a look of disgust.

"Indeed," I said. I glanced at Yamie. "I presume you wish to take her with you?"

"Unfortunately she is the only heir I have," she said, not one bit pleased with the choice she was stuck with.

"Heir?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Most demons are eternally immortal—or is that ability absent from you clan? It certainly is present in mine."

"It is not absent," she said icily. "It is simply precautionary."

"Precautionary having the meaning of nonexistence?" I said, turning my back on them—on her and on Yamie. "Take her then, if you wish."

"Big brother, I don't want to go with her," Yamie pleaded. To think she had become attached to me. Pathetic.

"You are no longer my concern," I said as I walked back towards the palace, not looking back at her.

I could hear her turning on her heel toward her grandmother, the silent creeping scent of death wafting from the older demoness. In a surge of demonic power, both their scents were gone.

I stopped walking and turned to look over my shoulder, at the spot where Nicada had stood.

I wouldn't miss her.

I was certain.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

"Does it still hurt, Murasaki-san?"

Rin's voice pulled me back to the present. She was sitting underneath a tree, with that human girl, Murasaki, who leaned against the trunk of the tree, her hands folded on her lap.

She smiled at Rin, and shook her head. "No, my ankle doesn't hurt so much anymore," she reassured, which was obviously a lie, something Rin failed to see. Rin beamed at her, reassured.

"You'd better not slow down Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken snapped, glaring at the newcomer.

She blinked at him, her queer lavender eyes wide. "I wouldn't dream of it," she said, sighing.

"Don't make her sad, Master Jaken!" Rin defended.

"I wasn't! I was only warning her about slowing down Lord Sesshoumaru with that sprained ankle of hers!"

"Just leave her alone."

"Bah!"

And they began another one of their lengthy, annoying, yet amusing arguments. As they prattled on, my gaze drifts to the girl, Murasaki. Her eyes were closed, her head against the trunk of the tree. She had fallen asleep.

Hn.

Frail thing this girl was. The first time I had laid eyes on her, the first word in my mind was 'protect', such was the result of this girl's delicate countenance. I inwardly scowled. This girl…what did Kyoura want with her?

Kyoura…

The War Gods have returned, why? I narrowed my eyes. Wait…

Kyoura had a Shikon shard. When we had fought, I had sensed a Shikon shard.

And that meant Naraku.

Bastard Naraku.

Heh, I shouldn't be surprised. Naraku, a weakling and a half-breed, will do anything to aggrandize his power…including using demons who are far stronger than him.

Still, if Naraku had resurrected the War Gods, and then it was he who sent Kyoura after Murasaki…why? What did this girl have that Naraku would want?

I continued to stare at her, wondering what it was about this breakable girl that would warrant Naraku's unwanted attention. At that moment, she woke up, her eyes meeting mine. For a brief second, I stared into her lavender eyes. How queer of a human to possess such eye color…

Unless…

Heh, none of my business.

I turned away and walked towards the forest.

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**-Nicada-**

I gripped the railing of the veranda and stared at the sky. Ryura was alive...the only one who could leave me shaking was standing in front of me a few moments ago and I could not even draw my sword against him...

Why must I feel this way? I was stronger than I had been all those years ago, when he had first terrorized me as a child...So why? Why was I so...frightened a moment ago? Was it because he was one who took Mama away from me?

"Yo." That voice...Inuyasha?

I glance over my shoulder. Inuyasha is making his way towards me. I frown and turn my gaze back towards the moon, my eyes narrowed infinitesimally. I didn't need him right now.

"Go away.

I heard him stop in his tracks. "Heh," he said in that annoyingly obnoxious voice of his. "What an idiot you are."

Idiot? I narrowed my eyes and decided to ignore him. Pretend he just wasn't there.

"It's not like I wanna be here in the first place," Inuyasha muttered. "Damn Kagome. Anyway, quit the moping, won't you? And give us all a break."

I simply pretend I didn't hear him, but going back to hiding behind a mask of indifference was better than this.

"Are you even listening?" the half-breed demands, his voice growing louder...and even more annoying.

I glanced over my shoulder at him. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

He glared and clenched his teeth. "Fine," he snapped. He turned on his heel and walked back to the room, where I could hear him complaining loudly to Kagome. "YOU go out and talk to her!" I heard him roar.

Why couldn't they stop interfering? The way I feel right isn't any of their concern.

"Maybe we should just leave her alone for a bit," I hear the miko say.

Even though she said, I know I won't be left alone for much longer. She'll probably just let Inuyasha out here again soon.

"I think that's best, too," I hear Sango agree. "After all, we'd all like a little alone time every once in a while...Why do you suppose she's so upset about seeing Ryura again?"

"She did say that Ryura was one who killed her mother," Inuyasha says in reply.

I could suddenly feel their sympathy...sympathy that I did not want!

I vaulted over the railings and rushed into the forest, feeling the cool evening wind rush through me as I disappear into the darkness of the surrounding forest. Staying with them is pointless.

I can find big brother faster on my own.

MURASAKI

Night had fallen.

I was sitting underneath a tree, beside Ah-Un, who had gently eased me off his back, as though aware that I wasn't feeling well. Beside me, Rin sat quietly, looking up at the stars as well. Even Jaken, who was usually loudmouthed, from what've learned, was silent, staring up at the heavens with wide, yellow, lucid eyes.

The only person who wasn't staring at the stars was Sesshoumaru—because he wasn't here.

Where he was, I did not really know, nor did I wish to find out. Truth be told, I was glad he wasn't here. His presence was somehow unsettling, despite his calm demeanour.

"Where do you think Lord Sesshoumaru is, Master Jaken?" Rin suddenly asked from beside me, pulling her gaze away from the stars.

"How should I know?" Jaken snapped, irate, turning to the little girl. "It's none of our business where Lord Sesshoumaru goes, Rin!" His voice was grating and somehow insulting.

"Must you speak so harshly?" I asked, as I settled my hand on my swollen ankle. The pain had become tolerable, now throbbing instead of burning.

"What?" Jaken snapped, turning the full force of his annoyance on me.

I cringed. "It's just that, Rin merely asked a question," I said, trying to be conciliatory.

"None of your business!" the imp snaps.

Of course, whatever demons did, it was beyond mortal concupiscence...or so we were taught to believe.

"She is just a child," I pointed. "Naturally, she would be curious."

"It's still none of your business!"

I decided to maintain my silence—it was best not to incur Jaken's irritation. Once again, silence settled on our little camp. I wondered what my...father would have said if he could see the company I was keeping now—a demon toad, a little girl and a two-headed dragon. He would be shocked...and angry...to the utmost.

I sighed. Thinking of my father only made me think of the task that I faced—going to Mt. Ozura with an incapacitated ankle. How was I to do this? Surely, the moment Sesshoumaru found Nicada, he would have no use for me...Where would I go? With Inuyasha and Kagome, perhaps? IF I could find them and IF they would let me go with them...

I suddenly longed for the secure life I had before all this began. Before all this, I was protected, with rambunctious brothers, a perfunctory but gentle father, and a loving mother...

How did I get into this mess?

WHY was I in this mess? In fact...what did that war god, Kyoura, want with me?

I had a feeling that Mt. Ozura would hold the answer.

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**-Nicada-**

I kept running, the faster the found big brother, the better. The forest around me was pitch black. I ran on, keeping myself alert for approaching demons.

Suddenly, from amidst the trees, I see a flash of silver...

I shake my head and look again. It wasn't him, just the moonlight. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes too high, damn it.

I slowed down to a walk. Something didn't feel right. I gripped the hilt of Inazuma-Katana, feeling everything around me go tense and quiet.

"Show yourself!" I growled, unsheathing my sword, hoping it wasn't one of the War Gods. I wouldn't be able to handle them on my own.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on my side.

A second later, I heard a pleasant chuckle coming from the darkened bushes in front of me. "Well, well, well...Ryura was right."

I tensed, clenching my sword tighter. This voice was familiar—it belonged to one of the War Gods, I was certain.

"Show yourself!" I barked, narrowing my eyes.

A second later, Kyoura stepped out of the bushes, his green eyes narrowing maliciously at me. He held his red war fan in his hand. For once, no birds hovered around him.

"You!" I exclaimed, feeling distaste building up. "Kyoura!" Out of all the War Gods, except for Ryura, Kyoura was the one I hated the most—the effeminate War God who, in my opinion, preferred men.

"Well, well, well," he said, smiling pleasantly at me. "If it isn't little Yamie. How nice to see you again. Only, you aren't so little anymore, are you?"

"I didn't think you would be the one to notice," I sneered.

He only laughed pleasantly, but his eyes were narrowed. "I'd love to teach you a lesson, _little_ Yamie. Unfortunately, I am busy seeking out a little denizen. Perhaps you've seen her?"

The question was rhetorical, but I wanted to mock him. "I wouldn't tell you even if I knew who you were talking about!" I sneered.

"Feisty, feisty," Kyoura mocked. He then turned on his heel, towards the trees.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Somebody wants me dead, right? Then why aren't you trying to decapitate me?"

Kyoura glanced at me from over his shoulder, and then turned to face me. "Well, well, now why would I want to waste my time killing you, when I could be looking for that blasted Murasaki?" he said, almost to himself.

Wait a minute...

Murasaki?

Wasn't she that fragile-looking girl with Inuyasha and his friends? Kyoura was looking for her? Why? What could someone as vulnerable as her have that the War Gods would want?

"Anyway," Kyoura went on. "I'd love to kill you—really, I would. Unfortunately, you belong to brother Ryura."

I didn't like the way he said it. "He's the one that's going to die," I snarled.

Kyoura only smirked. He suddenly held his fan out in front of him and, a second later, it was covered with crackling flames. "You know," he said, smiling sadistically. "We were instructed by brother Ryura not to kill you—but he didn't say anything about _harming_ you."

I felt cold.

Truth be told, strong as I was, I was no match for any of these War Gods on my own.

I braced my sword with one hand while letting black lightning spark from my free one. I hit him in the chest and he sent me flying backwards with one of his flaming birds. I landed hard on my back and struggled to get to my feet.

"Poor girl," Kyoura said, clicking his tongue. "I am so disappointed. Anyway, don't worry...I won't kill you." He slowly walked towards me, enjoying the moment as I stood shakily on my feet, clenching my weapon tightly in my grasp. "Don't worry," he said. "I won't kill you...but you'll wish I did."

He slowly raised his fan. "Die!"

At that moment, a flash of blue light hurtled out from the trees and towards him, throwing him into the air.

I stood still, my eyes wide with shock—I didn't even notice Kyoura cursing quietly as he landed daintily on his feet.

I knew that attack.

I couldn't believe it.

A second later, _he_ came out of the shadows, sword in hand...

The person I'd been looking for, the person I hadn't seen for so many years…

"Big Brother!"

**:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:**

**A1969: I love these moments—the moments when I'm finally done, and when I can finally update!**

**Inuyasha: if you love them so much, then update more often!**

**A1969: I really don't see the point in explaining why I'm so sloppy, seeing as I've explained it about a thousand times already.**

**Kagome: excuse Inuyasha. He's hearing may be excellent, but his understanding's rusty.**

**Inuyasha: what?!**

**A1969: well, anyway, thanks to those who reviewed and to those who read! Please—don't hesitate to review!**


	6. The Companions

**A1969: hm...it's also been ages since we updated this one! I'm sorry if it's taking so long—life's being cruel at the moment.  
Inuyasha: and you think you have problems.  
A1969: and what problems would you have Inuyasha?  
Inuyasha: you for one thing, Sesshoumaru for another.  
A1969: aw...I thought you loved your brother? –grins-  
Inuyasha: DISGUSTING!  
A1969: anyway, thanks to those who read and reviewed!**

**Chapter Six:**

**:-The Companions-:**

**-Nicada-**

Sesshoumaru had grown taller to say the least, but then again I cannot remember when I didn't have to look up at him. His emotions were still hidden behind a mask, and I sniffed slightly. His scent had changed. There was a familiar scent on him, very faint, but it was there. Why was his scent mixed with that of humans? Big brother despised humans. And _this_ particular human...? But I pushed that question aside for later as another thought came to mind.

Once again he had to come to my rescue; once again I probably just looked like a pathetic pup in his eyes. I never wanted him to see me like that again.

I swiftly retrieved the Inazuma-Katana from the ground, dodging a wave of flame from Kyoura in the process. I pointed Inazuma-Katana at Kyoura, but before I could summon an attack, Kyoura wrapped himself in a cyclone of his own flames. Hot air greeted me full in the face as I stopped in my tracks, sword clutched tightly in my grasp.

"Not that this wasn't fun, but I don't have time to waste playing with dogs." Kyoura smirked, his eyes fixed on Big Brother. "I have business to attend to, I'm afraid." To my surprise, he grinned at Big Brother before vanishing amidst a wave of flame.

There was silence.

I sighed and sheathed my blade, looking over at Sesshoumaru.

Big Brother only glared at me with disapproval and turned on his heel to leave me. "Big Brother...don't leave..."

"I have no interest in staying."

I suddenly had no words left to say to him. It had been such a long time since I had seen him, but nothing seemed to have changed. His mask of cold indifference was still on...it was even tighter. There were so many things I wanted to say to him, to ask him, but there was one prominent question I wanted to ask, the question that had propelled me to look for him in the first place.

"Brother, someone attacked my territories! Shouldn't that concern you, considering they are so close to your own?" I asked, and he glanced back at me.

"_Your_ territories," he pointed out. "Not mine."

He had a point. Still, I didn't want him to leave just yet—I'd only seen him again. But he wasn't the type to hang around and chat, I'm afraid. I suddenly remembered the very faint scent on him. This scent...it belonged to that human girl...Murasaki?

"There was a human with lavender eyes staying with that Inuyasha and his friends. She travels with you now doesn't she?" I asked, wondering why she was with him. "It's very faint, but her scent is on you, as is the scent of another human. Queer, that you would have a soft side for them."

Big Brother raised an eyebrow at me. "I have no soft side for these...humans."

"Really? You seem to be more like Papa than you realize, Sesshy."

He glared at me for the name calling. There were times when that glare would have sent me cowering, but not this time.

"Though I am like Father in power, I am not saddened to say that I did not inherit his compassion," he replied.

I only shook my head—he was lying. I knew that despite Big Brother's harsh, cold, indifferent, intimidating outer facade, deep down (very, very, _very_ deep down) he was actually a nice person.

"Alright, Big Brother." I let the last two words slip—he hated it when I called him that.

He glared at me again, before turning to leave. "Do you still think of me as weak, Big Brother?"

He stopped in his tracks, and glanced at me from over his shoulder. "Weak? All half-breeds are weak."

"But I am not a half-breed...you know this."

I could've sworn he _almost_ smirked. "And?"

"I am not weak then..." I felt like a pup again, talking to him like this.

I smiled at him, and realized how much I missed him.

**-Murasaki-**

"Father, look!"

Whose voice was this? So childish, so innocent and carefree...

I didn't know where I was...I was...standing near a lake, peering into the water. Huh? Something was not right. The image in the rippling mirror was far too...young, far too child-like to be me...

But what told me that it was indeed me as a child and that the voice belonged to me, were the eyes that stared back at me. Lavender.

Me...?

"Father, come quick!" It seemed that I did not have any control over my actions or words...

"Murasaki, stay away from the lake!" Father called, running towards me.

Before I could reply, he scooped me into his arms. "You pesky girl! You're always having us worry about you!" He was saying this as he held me close...me...giggling in his arms...

I woke up.

I glanced around me. I had fallen asleep next to Rin.

A dream...

It was just a...dream.

I bit my lip, and stood up with some difficulty, thanks to my ankle. There seemed to be no sign of Sesshoumaru yet.

Father...

Why? Why have you suddenly turned away from me? Why have you shunned me? I walked a little away from Rin and Jaken. It was difficult, what with my throbbing ankle, but I wanted to be alone to think...

I strayed a little way into the forest, hobbling on my sprained ankle. Before, I would have been frightened at the prospect of straying alone into a forest, but I had seen worse things.

I sighed, and leaned against the trunk of a tree, letting my eyes stare through the leafy canopy. Ribbons of moonlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves and onto the forest floor. The night was cold, and I drew my cloak tighter around me.

I let my thoughts stray back to the night mother had told me to escape...

Why did Father want me...dead? It was so hard to believe that he would...kill me.

Why? What did I have that he needed in order to...win? Truth be told, it wasn't as though I was out of the ordinary. The only kind of fighting I knew was with the naginata, but it wasn't like I was even that good at it...

Why, Father? Would you be looking for me now? And...another question...what did that demon Kyoura want with me?

It was all so confusing! The questions, the problems! Why did this have to happen to me, of all people?! It was hard to imagine that several days ago, I was laughing with my Father, playing Go...

"You look troubled," a voice commented.

My eyes widened and I looked up. My heart sped as a pair of red eyes stared at me from the darkness.

"You!" The demon Kyoura materialized right in front of me. He held his war fan in both his fists, a smile on his face.

I did not like that smile.

"Well, well, well," he said pleasantly. "Isn't this convenient? You, all alone, in a forest, and no Lord Sesshoumaru to hamper me. My, my—it seems too good to be true."

I took a step back, but my ankle still throbbed. One thing became all too clear...

I couldn't run, and even if I did...I don't think I could've outrun Kyoura...

What should I do? Kyoura smiled as he took a step towards me. And then another, and another.

"Stay back!" I snapped. He took slow deliberate steps towards me, his smile growing more malicious.

"You know," he said. He was only a meter away now. "I cannot figure out why Naraku would want someone like _you_. You, who are practically useless."

I glared at him as my heart beat faster. He suddenly held out a hand towards me...

I turned and ran. My ankle screamed in protest, blazing pain searing through my ankle and through my leg. I ran towards the row of trees that separated me from Jaken and Kyoura. Please let me reach it, please let me reach it!

No! Before I could reach the camp, my overused ankle gave way and I fell to the forest floor in a heap, scratching my hands as I instinctively held them out. Shoot.

My ankle throbbed as though it were on fire. "Tsk, tsk, tsk." I glanced over my shoulder to see Kyoura coming towards me, a smile on his face. He was taking slow, deliberate steps, hoping to induce fear into me. And I had to admit—it was working. "I didn't even bother chasing after you. It would be quite obvious that you would fall, couldn't you see that, Murasaki? Couldn't you see that there is no escape?"

I struggled to get to my feet, but it was useless. Suddenly, two arms shot of nowhere and scooped me off the ground. Fear raced through me.

"Put me down!" I cried, struggling in Kyoura's arms.

Kyoura looked down at me, smirking. "You're not that bad, actually," he said, a malicious glint in his eye.

What?!

"And nothing is more tempting than a woman struggling," he remarked.

Two things registered in my mind—first, this effeminate demon wasn't actually fond of _men_? And the second, fear. No way...he wasn't going to...

He suddenly laughed. "Don't presume that I would go for the likes of you, though," he said.

"Then put me down!" I snapped.

He only grinned as both his wings beat on either side of him and, a second later, we were both airborne. I was surprised when I screamed the one name I didn't think I would ever find reason to scream.

"Sesshoumaru!"

**-Nicada-**

I gazed up at the night sky, through the canopy. Stars were dancing across it like diamonds. Brother hadn't left yet. He too was looking at the sky. If there was anything I learned from living with him, it was that this part was the only true bonding moment we had.

I narrowed my amber eyes, as a flame shot across my vision, but there was something else. Whatever was being taken away by this flame was screaming brother's name with pure fear. I glanced at him just in time to see an orb forming around him. He was going after her? When did Sesshoumaru play hero?

"Wait! Where are you going?" I demanded and he glanced back at me.

"That is none of your concern, Yamie," was his bored-toned reply. There was a flash of light, and he was gone .

I turned toward the direction of where Big Brother's scent had been heading. I was not going to follow his orders like a pup. What kind of sister would I be if I left him to fight Kyoura alone? I rushed off, gripping the handle of the Inazuma-Katana.

I darted into the air, following closely behind Sesshoumaru. He glanced back at me, his eyes narrowed in warning, but I paid him no heed. He ignored me, drew out his blade and sent a powerful Dragon Strike at the fleeing Kyoura, who dodged it by rising into the air.

Murasaki was behind Kyoura surrounded by his flaming birds. Sesshoumaru's sword and Kyoura's war fan clashed, the sound of metal pitted against metal echoing across the clear night sky. Time to intervene.

Electricity sparked from my blade as I sent Shockwave at Kyoura, watching as he staggered back in shock, giving brother the opening he needed.

"Dragon Strike!" Brother's wave of power seared towards Kyoura, whose eyes widened in shock. He growled as he was forced to fly higher in order to avoid the attack.

"My, oh my," Kyoura said, pleasantly, looking down at us. "So nice to see siblings working together—it brings tears to my eyes."

"Put me down, you creep!" Murasaki snapped. Kyoura held onto her tightly with one arm, the other held his war fan.

"Now, now," Kyoura reprimanded her. "Where in the world would I put you down? On the ground?" Murasaki blinked, then looked down. Her eyes widened in shock.

"No, don't put me down!" she said, clutching to him. Idiot.

What would Big Brother want with her? Surely she wasn't of any importance. Especially not to him.

The lightning from my blade was far too dangerous to try to attack Kyoura with, for lighting was a difficult element to control in the first place, and I did not wish to hit Murasaki, even if she was just a pathetic human.

I sheathed my blade, and whipped out duel fans that had been tucked inside the red obi around my waist. I positioned my fans one above the other, and could feel my spiritual powers beginning to channel from my hands to the metal that surround the fan. I flicked one fan toward the sky, and the other toward the ground, watching as both waves surrounded Kyoura before he could stop them, burning him harshly. He cried out something crude, and disappeared in a swirl of flames, leaving Murasaki to plummet toward the ground.

Damn it!

I would not have been fast enough to catch her, but I watched in amazement as Sesshoumaru did. He effortlessly caught her in his arms where she lay like a rag doll. Was he really getting a soft side for the humans he despised? I tucked my fans away, flew to the ground and approached him.

"Is she alright?" I questioned, not believing the words that came from my mouth.

"She is only unconscious, Yamie," he answered. He was silent for a moment, and then he walked through the trees, obviously heading towards a camp."You disobeyed the orders, I gave you."

"Only to come to your aid. Would you really have been able to defeat Kyoura without my help? Surely, if I wasn't there, your precious human would have died." I growled, and Big Brother glared at me coldly.

"I did not need your so-called help, Yamie," he said. We had reached his camp by now. I glanced around. There was a dying fire in the center of the camp and lying near the flames was a two-headed. Ah-Un, I recalled.

I stared at the figure huddled around the dragon. A little human girl.

Incredible.

Sesshoumaru hanging out with humans...what was the world coming to?

Sesshoumaru's gaze fell on the human child—making sure he was unharmed, I realized. Heh, he didn't even spare the demon toad a glance. He pulled his gaze away from the little girl, and lay Murasaki near a tree. Things were starting to get strange.

"You say my help is unnecessary," I said, feeling angry. "You say you don't need me...But do you need the two humans with you?" He narrowed his eyes dangerously at me. It was a look that would have sent demons scampering, and I honestly felt like doing just that. I sighed. "Decades go by, Sesshoumaru, and you're still as cold as ever...No, you're even colder than before." I turned to leave. There was no point in staying here. Heh, maybe I'd have to be _human_ before I could stay with him.

I suddenly felt a tug on my kimono sleeve. I looked down to see the human child, looking at me with pleading eyes. Had my voice been loud enough to wake her? I didn't care. "What do you want?" I questioned, feeling irked.

"Do you think you could fix Muraski-san's ankle? It isn't getting any better," the little girl said, still holding onto my sleeve. Hm. She had woken up just to ask me that?

"And why would you think I would be able to do anything about it?" I asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You have herbs sticking out of your obi; you must know some healing," she said. Damn, clever child.

"Alright, I will try." I finally gave in—there was something in this child that just made you want to do her bidding. Heh, a tiny tyrant. I knelt down beside the unconscious girl with the odd-colored eyes, and began to untie the sloppily tied bandages that were around her ankle.

**-Sesshoumaru-**

I watched silently as Yamie knelt beside the unconscious girl. If anything, Murasaki appeared paler. I only just noted that the lids of her eyes were pale lavender, as though she were exhausted. Hn. I have never seen a human this fragile before.

I seated myself opposite Yamie and Rin, and watched as Yamie knelt beside the unconscious girl. Yamie took one look at the girl, and then her eyes darted to mine. "By any chance," she began. "Was it because of _you_ that her ankle is sprained?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "I'll take that as a no," she muttered, her tone indicating that she was still displeased with me.

As if I cared.

I turned my gaze away as she deftly rolled the hem of Murasaki's kimono all the way to her knee to expose her swollen ankle. How bothersome. Humans were so weak, so defenseless. It was miraculous that they had lived for so long. Perhaps their versatility made up for their frailty? In any case, they were weak...Especially the girl whom Yamie was treating.

There was silence as Yamie tended to the girl, a silence that was punctured only by Jaken's snores. I should hit him, annoying as he was.

"Big Brother," she began hesitantly. "Why is it that this girl is with you?"

Why indeed? "She had her uses," I said dismissively.

She glanced at me from over her shoulder. "Had?" she asked.

I did not look at her. Far be it for me to tell her that I needed Murasaki in order to find her.

Yamie was silent, and she did not pursue her question—instead, she asked another one. "Now that she is of no use to you anymore...will you dispose of her?"

Rin gasped, and my gaze fell on her. She was looking at Yamie with wide, shocked eyes. Yamie was always tactless.

"Lord Sesshoumaru...what does she mean?" Rin asked, her wide eyes already beseeching me. "You're not going to...make her go away, are you?"

I kept my silence. I admit—she had an uncanny knack for getting what she wanted.

"You can't, Lord Sesshoumaru!" she exclaimed. "Murasaki-san's very nice! And she sings to me, too! And she's very pretty!"

Pretty...useless. And as to her singing—I'd never heard her. "She's useless, Rin!" a newly awake Jaken interjected, before I could say anything else.

"She's not useless!" Rin snapped, glaring at Jaken.

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"She is not!"

"She is!"

"The toad is right."

We all turned to the source of the voice. Murasaki was sitting up against the tree, her lavender eyes fixed intently on Jaken, her head tilted to the side. Hn, she was awake.

"I really should be going," she said. "But thank you for putting up with me." Her gaze was directed at me.

I looked away from her.

"But Murasaki-san, you're not better at all!" Rin complained.

"I _think_ I can walk," Murasaki said, sighing.

"You can leave in the morning!" Jaken offered. "OW! Quit it, Rin!"

"Girl," Yamie said. "Where are you going?"

I let my gaze fall on Murasaki. True—where was she headed?

Murasaki blinked, her eyes widening. "Um...Mount Ozura," she said, somewhat hesitantly.

"On your own?" Yamie raised an eyebrow at her. "The path to that mountain is treacherous, filled with demons. And you"—she appraised Murasaki's delicate countenance—"I doubt you are a fighter."

Murasaki blushed and bent her head. True—this girl was the farthest thing from a fighter.

"I can try," Murasaki muttered. She looked up Yamie, her eyes determined. "There is something I very much want at Mount Ozura—and I will do anything to get it."

Hn...For once, she was showing signs of assertiveness, something I had not expected to see.

Yamie tilted her head. "And what is it that you want?"

Murasaki was quiet as she looked up at the sky. "Answers." She looked at Yamie. "There are answers there—and I want them."

Yamie narrowed her eyes. "Answers to what?"

Murasaki shook her head. "I'm sure to demons such as yourselves, mortal matters are inconsequential."

How true.

"But to me, those answers are vital," she went on, looking down at her hands.

Vitally inconsequential—how contradictory.

"Answers," I said. Surprised, they all turned their gaze to me. "You have a question to answer yourself."

Murasaki's eyes narrowed. "What question...?"

"What are you to the War Gods?" I asked.

She sighed. "I don't know them."

I narrowed my eyes at her, and she cringed. I looked into her eyes, but I could find no trace of deceit—she spoke the truth. I was—admittedly—mystified. For what purpose would the War Gods desire this defenseless and delicate girl?

"That's why I'm going," she went on, her eyes fixed on her hands. "Because I want to _know_. What those demons want with me, why my father suddenly wants me dead...all of it."

"You look sad, Murasaki-san," Rin said, seating herself next to the girl. "Do you miss your father, too?"

Murasaki's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Rin. "I don't really know..." her voice trailed off. This girl's father was obviously a lord of some sort. Only the daughter of a nobleman would sit erect, and don a kimono of pure silk.

Perhaps it had something to do with her lineage? "From what clan are you?" I asked indolently.

She looked startled for a moment. "Clan? I..." She blinked, and looked down at her hands again. "I do not come from any clan..."

Ah. "Do not presume to lie, girl," I warned.

She looked up at me, surprise in her wide eyes. "Lie...?"

My gaze turned cold. "You are the daughter of a lord—from which clan?"

"How dare you try to lie to Lord Sesshoumaru?!" Jaken screeched, leaping in front of the girl, the Staff of Heads held threateningly at her. She cringed.

"Master Jaken!" Rin snapped. "Leave Murasaki-san alone!"

"I'm sorry," Murasaki said, her expressive eyes apologetic. "It's just that...my father is probably looking for me, and I'd rather he didn't find me."

"That doesn't answer my question."

She blushed and bowed her head. "Subarashii," she said at last, her voice low. "I am from the Subarashii clan."

"I have never heard of that clan," I said dismissively.

"And neither have I." Yamie suddenly spoke up. Everyone, except me, turned their surprised gaze to her. "So, Murasaki, isn't it? You come from this clan. Hm. Don't you think it odd that your father is searching for you, as are the War Gods?"

I immediately saw her point. "I don't know," Murasaki muttered. "I'm confused. That's why, like I said earlier, I'm going to Mount Ozura...I want answers."

"Alone?" Yamie asked, incredulous.

Murasaki bit her lip. "Yes, alone."

"Well, good luck," Yamie said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Travelling on your own, towards an esoteric mountain...Heh, you do not look like a fighter in the least."

Murasaki blushed again. Hm...was Yamie concerned about this girl? But then again, there was something about the human that compelled one to worry about her wellbeing; such was the result of her delicate countenance.

"I can manage." Murasaki did not look sure.

**-Nicada-**

The humans and the toad were finally asleep.

I stared at them, my gaze flitting from one form to the next. The human girl, Murasaki, was sleeping next to the human child, Rin, while the toad slept on Ah-Un. He snored loudly, and it was annoying. I wanted to wake him, but there was something else that I wanted to do.

Big Brother.

I looked at him. He was still sitting underneath his tree, his gaze fixed on the starry heavens. There was no sign of fatigue about him. Heh, actually, I had never—not once in my life—seen Big Brother close his eyes to sleep. I doubt he even needed it.

"What do you want?" Big Brother's voice was low, but cold.

"Your help," I said. In truth, it killed me to have to ask for anyone's aid. But I did not mind asking Sesshoumaru. "Someone attacked my territories. I want to know who."

"Then find out."

Hm. Another way for saying, "Do it yourself."

"I don't know why," I said. "But I have a feeling this person called Naraku is involved...as are the War Gods. But I'm not sure."

"Jumping to conclusions."

My look turned icy. He was being obnoxious. "You are refusing."

"Naturally."

I inwardly sighed. Once he had made up his mind, there was no other way to convince him. "At least," I said. "Tell me what you know of this Naraku."

He frowned infinitesimally, his gaze still fixed on the stars. "Why must I divulge anything to you?"

"Because, Sesshoumaru, I am your sister," I said. "That and you swore to my mother that you would protect me."

"_You_." This time, his eyes were on me. "Not your scanty territories."

I flared. Scanty?! No one could match his arrogance. I was about to say something, but he beat me to it. "Yamie," he said. "If that is merely your reason for seeking me out, I suggest you leave."

I glared at him. "Fine," I hissed. I stood up and turned my back on him, and his camp. I did not look back at him as I left.

**-Murasaki-**

"Murasaki-san, must you go?"

I sighed as I looked down at Rin. It was morning now, and it was time for me to leave. Rin looked somewhat disappointed at my going. I suspect this was compounded by Nicada's unannounced flight in the night.

"I'm sorry," I said. I looked down at her, and then around. It was just Rin, myself, Jaken and Ah-Un. Sesshoumaru had, as was his custom, vanished. And I thought it was best to leave without him. "I have to go now. I'm sure my Father will have his men looking for me. I don't want to drag any of you into my mess."

Rin tilted her head. "But won't you be in danger, then? Stay with us! Lord Sesshoumaru will protect you!"

Jaken scoffed at the same time I raised my eyebrows. "No thanks, Rin," I said, smiling.

She blinked. "Why? You don't hate him, do you?"

My eyebrows rose even higher. "No, but…" I shook my head as I looked towards the row of trees of the forest. They seemed menacing. When I thought about the demons that just might lurk there…

But I really had to go now.

"I'll be fine," I said to the doubting Rin.

She pouted. "Will you?"

I smiled and nodded as I left, vanishing into the row of trees.

Although, I wasn't quite sure of the answer myself.

**-Nicada-**

Damn it, I had truly hoped that Big Brother would be willing to help me. But then again he was selfish and only cared about himself. There were not any reasons for him to keep his promise to Mother about protecting me. She was dead after all, had been for years. I can hardly remember her.

But still my lands did involve me, involve protecting me, since I am the only heir left…if Grandmother died. Then again if I _did_ die, I bet Sesshoumaru would be secretly very, very pleased about it. He would not have to come save me.

I stopped in the middle of the forest. Dawn had broken a while ago. I haven't even bothered to eat or sleep. Demons needed much of neither, unlike pathetic humans. But a fish would taste nice right about now. All I need to do is find a stream or a river.

I stood still to allow my senses to pick up the sound of flowing water. My ears twitched against the air, and though it was very faint, I could hear the trickle of water. My stomach nearly growled in joy.

I ran through the woods, the green vegetation rushing past me in a clear blur, and the wind whipping rather spitefully through my hair. The river was not as far as I expected, just a few miles into the woods. After eating, I would head home.

Home…not that there would be much left with what the horde of corrupted demons had done to it. Probably nothing left but ashes and lifeless corpses of my people. If Grandmother had made it out of the palace alive, then maybe there will be a chance for revival, and then maybe she can stop hounding suitors after me.

I stared at the crystal clear river, and then, without hesitation, I plunged in. The water was both cool and soothing, reaching up to my thighs, soaking my kimono. I stared intently into the water seeing, for a moment, my reflection…

A pair of hardened amber eyes stared at me through the water. Those eyes were so similar to Sesshoumaru's, except in expression. But no—these eyes were not at all similar to Sesshoumaru's…they were similar to our Father's…the Father who never knew me.

Heh.

So unfair.

I shrugged it off—it was not like me to be reminiscing about someone I had never even met. Could that even be called reminiscing?

The eyes in the water suddenly wavered. A fish swam lazily beneath the surface. My claws darted into the water, and were wrapped around the fish in a second flat. Not as fast as Sesshoumaru, but still.

I jumped backwards, out of the river, wriggling fish in my grasp. Landing on the banks of the river, I contemplated in which style to eat my prey. Hm…boiled, roasted, or—

A sudden scream of fear pierced through the silence of the forest, alerting my senses, sending my ears twitching, and making me drop my fish. I automatically reached for the hilt of Inazuma-Katana, my eyes narrowed at the trees.

I glanced at the flopping fish on the ground. Sighing, I rushed toward the cries of, "Leave me alone!" and "Get away from me!"

I sped past the trees as my senses reached ahead of me. My nose was telling me that the attackers were human, as was the victim. I should not even be wasting my time saving whoever it was from petty thieves. I sniffed again. The scent of the victim was familiar.

Too familiar…

The scent…

The human girl with lavender eyes.

Murasaki, the stupid girl who could not even wield a weapon. What the hell was she doing on her own?

I gathered speed, leaping into the nearest tree and onto the tallest branch to scope out the situation. Sitting in a crouched position, the situation before me was all too clear.

Murasaki was backed up against the very tree I was perched in. I could not see her face, but I could easily imagine the fear that would overshadow her countenance as she looked around the humans who cornered her.

Thirty or so human men, armed with weapons, swords and spears, surrounded the helpless girl. They wore blood red armor with gold lacing. Fierce human warriors, judging from the brutish and churlish looks on their faces. Formidable, deadly soldiers…

Heh. _Too_ easy.

"Get away from me!" Murasaki snapped. I was amazed at the would-be fearless tone in her voice.

"My lady—your honorable Father wishes your return," one of the soldiers—a fierce looking thing—said. "We do not wish to do you harm, princess—please, come with us."

"And be killed?" Murasaki's voice shook as she spoke.

"Killed?" the soldier said, his tone not appropriately disguised. "No one would dare lay violent hands on you, princess."

"If, indeed, I am your lady," Murasaki said. "Then you will do as I say, and leave me alone!"

This time, I was genuinely surprised at the authoritative tone in her voice. "We have orders, my lady," the soldier said, as he stepped towards her. "And they are to bring you back."

Murasaki was silent. "No," she finally said. "Go back with your men—I shan't have anything to do with Father!"

Just as I thought that theses useless expostulations were getting boring, the soldier suddenly took several strides until he was near Murasaki. He grabbed her—somewhat roughly—round the arm, drawing her to him.

"No!" the girl shouted. Looking down from my perch, I could see her struggling fruitlessly against the soldier's strength. "I refuse! Unhand me this instant!"

I was now bored. Stifling a sigh, I jumped from my perch, landing behind Murasaki.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," I said, shaking my head. "Is it really necessary for all of you men to handle one frail human girl?"

The soldiers automatically tensed, their weapons pointed at me. I was far too used to the enraged and astounded cries of surprised humans to pay them any heed.

Murasaki turned her head, her eyes widening the moment she saw me. "Wait, you're…Yamie." She sounded astounded.

I raised an eyebrow at her. How dare she call me a name that only Sesshoumaru was allowed to use? Her insolence would come later, for the soldier that held her suddenly pulled her towards him, and pushed her towards the other soldiers behind him.

"Take the princess and run!" the soldier—or was he their captain?—ordered. He drew his sword, beetle-black eyes fixed intensely on me.

I yawned. This was boring.

"Give me the girl," I said.

The human brute in front of me growled something about protecting his lady and his honor. Without further ado, he ran towards me, sword aimed at my heart. Were these humans actually _that _stupid?

I rushed towards him, black lightning sparking from my claws. My sword would only make things far too messy for the human girl to tolerate. I easily took out the captain with several jabs of sparking clawed fingers into the pressure points of his arms. I watched, amused, as his arms went limp and his spear clattered to the ground.

The captain cursed at me. "Watch your mouth," I hissed.

He turned to face me, but it was too late for him. I hit a pressure point between his neck and shoulder blade, as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell to the ground, face first.

This, of course, alerted the other guards. They glared at me, as if they could easily take me down. Murasaki on the other hand, looked both frightened and relieved to see me coming to her rescue.

I took the stance of my clan's fighting style. I placed one foot in front of the other, bending one knee slightly, as the other leg went back, extended. Both palms facing outward, one extended, the other tucked near my ribcage. Black lightning still sparked from my claws, down to my knuckles now.

The human men raised their spears and swords and rushed toward me.

Fools.

I blocked a spear with my arm, and slammed my flat palm into one of the guard's chest. He went flying backwards, lightning sparking on his chest, as he fell to the ground, unconscious.

The other guards charged towards me, shouting something barbaric. Stifling a yawn, I rushed at them, aiming for their pressure points. My fingers did not even reach the points on their body—rather, it was the lightning that jabbed at their pressure points. I watched, amused as the guards fell to the ground, one by one.

I glared as one of them, one of the last three, got behind me, sword raised. The careless human failed to notice as my foot stick out, tripping him. He fell to the ground, face first. There was a disgusting crunch as his nose broke, blood streaming down his face. He stood back up again, glaring at me, blood covering his chin. Heh…and humans said demons looked barbaric.

I turned to face him, my eyes nearly blood red, as the lightning from my palm makes contact with his chest, and he was sent flying, unconscious, into the last two. All three guards fell to the ground, unconscious.

Heh, that fight was short.

I glanced at Murasaki from the corner of my now amber eyes. She was standing at one end of the clearing, where the guards had left her. Her eyes were wide with both fear and gratitude. She opened her mouth to say something, but I interrupted her before she could even get a word out.

"You are pathetic. Can you not even run from measly human soldiers?" I questioned, nearly demanded.

Before she could answer, I started walking away. I needed to get home.

I needed answers.

And I was not going to be around to protect her again.

If she died, then so be it.

"Wait!" I didn't stop walking as she called out. I could hear her running up to me, trying to keep up with my stride.

"Go away," I said, looking straight ahead.

"But," she said. "I…well, I'm grateful to you—for saving my life."

I stopped in my tracks and looked at her. "Do not think I saved you," I said scornfully. "Your life is meaningless—I have no reason to save it."

She blinked. "But…you…"

"I was passing by." I resumed walking.

"Wait!"

I didn't stop. She jogged up to me, hitching her kimono to allow her to run. "Please…Ya"—I glared—"Nicada," she amended. "But…you spoke of going to the Western Mountains before?"

"That," I said, quickening my stride, "is none of your business."

She was silent for a moment. Heh, for a human, she wasn't having any trouble catching up with me. Maybe she was tougher than I thought.

"I was wondering," she said quietly. "If…I could…if I could come with you."

To my chagrin, my surprise forced me to stop in my tracks. I looked at her, raising a surprised eyebrow. "And what makes you think I would allow that?" I said.

"Please," she said. "I only wish to get to Mount Ozura."

"So," I said contemptuously, "you expect me to protect you. Don't be so foolish." I started walking again.

"No, wait!" she called out. She caught up with me again, her cheeks flushed from trying to keep up. "Please, I need only to know the way—you needn't protect me. I only wish to know the way. Please."

I was silent for a moment. "Where is Lord Sesshoumaru?" I finally said. "Do you not travel with my Big Brother?"

"I…no," she said. "I do not travel with Sesshou"—I glared—"Lord Sesshoumaru. I only happened to come across him by pure chance. But please—take me with you."

I remained silent. Idiotic girl. If she had been a traveling companion of my Big Brother then, maybe, I might have agreed. After all—if I looked after his charge, then surely Sesshoumaru would help me with my territories? But this girl was useless.

"No," I said flatly, increasing my pace. "Girl, if I were you, I would return to your Father." Lucky fool—she had a Father, at least. Heh, to be bested in that particular area by a human…

Murasaki suddenly stopped in her tracks. I stopped, glancing back at her. She was giving me a funny look. "You saw those soldiers," she said quietly. "My Father—no, he isn't my Father. But he wants me dead. You may think me foolish, but I assure you, I am not asinine enough to return to a man who wants me dead."

What a bother.

"I do not stop for anything," I warned as I continued to walk.

She smiled at me. "Thank you."

**A1969: wow, it's been months, hasn't it? O.o  
Inuyasha: idiot. Always late.  
A1969: feh! At least I update, idiot! And I haven't seen Kagome around?  
Inuyasha: no idea.  
A1969: yeesh—look for her, don't you? She could be in trouble, you know. Anyway, thanks for the reviews from last chapter. I'm sorry if I take ages to update. And no, I have no intention of abandoning any of my stories. So…sorry for the late updates! I hope you guys review!**


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